Nourished

Get your bake on…

Recent Vegetarian Recipes

A Few Thermomix Recipes

Where to Eat…

Breakfast

Blackberry and Lemon Chia Pots

Amelia Freer is a well-known nutritionist and a respected food writer, with three excellent cookbooks based on a healthy, balanced diet. She eschews refined sugars and processed foods, instead looking for healthy alternatives that genuinely feed your body and well-being. During lockdown she has sent her subscribers regular updates, and this recipe was in her newsletter.

It definitely piqued my interest, because it used ground chia seeds (I do struggle with most frog’s spawn recipes), but also it used oat cream, which I’d not used before.

Oatily oat cream contains substantially less fat than cream (9.7g /100g versus 19.1g/100g), and more protein than natural yoghurt (5g/100g versus 1g/100g). Both mean that it’s a lot more friendly for those following a carb or fat restricted diet. It is also lactose and soya free, though it does contain some organic palm oil. A vegan friendly dairy alternative then, with less calories than the yoghurt or cream. When added to a healthy dose of chia seeds (approximately 37g per portion), we can add a further 11.5g of fibre into the mix, as well as potassium, calcium, magnesium, iron and Omega 3.

Even the inclusion of blackberries is an inspired choice – blackberries and raspberries have twice the fibre of blueberries and strawberries, which helps slow down the release of sugar. Better still, if you’re having this for breakfast, you can prepare this the night before, and have it ready to hand in the morning. I’m a big fan of the insulated Swell bowls, which would let you take this with you for a pick-me-up after a workout too.

Ingredients:

250ml carton oat cream – I used organic Oatily
1 lemon – zested and juiced
100g blackberries
5 tbsp chia seeds
2-3 level tbsp. sweetener of your choice – I used date syrup

Method:

Keeping a couple of berries back to garnish, blend all the remaining ingredients together using a smoothie maker or hand blender until well mixed.

Pour the mixture into two serving bowls or glasses and chill in the fridge for at least 2 hours, ideally overnight.

Once chilled, top with the reserved blackberries and serve.

3 Michelin Stars

The Eleven Madison Park Granola

Each guest leaving Eleven Madison Park receives a parting gift of a jar of granola, and it’s absolutely delicious. We were given two jars last time we were there, and we’re already down to the last inch or so… Having become so quickly addicted to it, I wondered if it was listed anywhere, and fortunately it’s listed everywhere – yay!

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Photograph of granola and blueberries.

Print

11 Madison Park Granola

Cook 50 mins

Prep 10 mins

Ingredients

Total 60 mins

Yield 6 cups

  • 2 ¾ cups rolled oats
  • 1 cup shelled pistachios
  • 1 cup unsweetened coconut chips
  • ⅓ cup pumpkin seeds
  • 1 tablespoon kosher salt
  • ½ cup light brown sugar
  • ⅓ cup maple syrup
  • ⅓ cup extra virgin olive oil
  • ¾ cup dried sour cherries

Instructions

  • Preheat oven to 150ºC/300ºF.  In a large bowl, mix together the oats, pistachios, coconut, pumpkin seeds and salt.
  • In a small saucepan set over low heat, warm the sugar, syrup and olive oil until the sugar has just dissolved, then remove from heat. Fold the liquids into the oat mixture, making sure to coat the dry ingredients well.
  • Line a large rimmed baking sheet with parchment paper or a silicone baking mat, and spread granola over it. Bake until dry and lightly golden, 35 to 40 minutes, stirring granola a few times along the way.
  • Remove granola from oven, and mix into it the dried sour cherries. Allow to cool to room temperature before transferring to a storage container. Makes about 6 cups.

Notes

I like to pimp my granola – I add goji berries, dried cranberries, sunflower seeds, dried apricots and much more to my granola.  This definitely adds to the calories, so don’t eat too much of it, but it does make for a more delicious granola.

Courses Breakfast

Book Review

Spring, by Skye Gyngell

Skye Gyngell first came to public prominence as the Head Chef of Petersham Nurseries Cafe, a restaurant set up in the grounds of Petersham House. Winning a Michelin star in 2011, the highly seasonal menu and location was meant to be the antithesis of restaurants found in London proper. Ironically the star ultimately led to her decision to leave Petersham Nurseries, as she felt that the location didn’t meet the expectations of the new influx of clients. After taking a little time out, Skye set about creating a new restaurant in an elegant high ceilinged space at Somerset House, and this book was borne out of the process.

And what a gorgeous book Spring is! Primarily a cookbook, but also with a nod to the restaurant, it details the redevelopment of the space and the creation of the recipes. Page after page of delicious combinations that flexitarians particularly will want to eat. There are sections on making bread, your own cordials, ice-cream, butter and yoghurt – even for experienced cooks there are things here to learn or light touches to admire.

These are the recipes:

Starters: asparagus with crème frâiche and Parmesan; eggs, anchovies, celery heart and radishes; carpaccio of wild salmon with pickled green tomatoes and horseradish crème frâiche; crab with crème frâiche and roe; spice-roasted quail with celeriac and walnuts; nettle risotto; chickpea soup with pancetta and sage; potato and porcini soup

Bread: how to make a starter; sourdough; rye bread; rye crackers

Dairy: butter; yoghurt; ricotta

Salads: Little gem, candied walnuts and Caesar dressing; salad of beetroot, tomatoes, goat’s curd and radicchio; raw cabbage, fennel and pecorino salad; slaw with pears, toasted hazelnuts and buttermilk dressing; spinach, wild herbs and goat’s curd; spelt, anchovies and mint; octopus salad with potatoes, capers and olives; crab salad with chilli, squash, curry leaves and lime; roast chicken, tarragon and gorgonzola salad

Pasta: making and shaping fresh pasta; purpled with oxtail argue; ravioli with sheep’s milk ricotta and herb butter; spelt pasta with farrow and pancetta

Seafood: grilled langoustine with seaweed butter; scallops with white beans, fennel and speck; squid with peas and sage; turbot with porcini and bone marrow; wild salmon with preserved lemon butter; sea bass with roasted tomatoes and girolles; halibut with mustard seeds, curry leaves and tomatoes; mackerel with bread and almond sauce

Meat: guinea fowl with farrow and parsley cream; grouse with corn purée and roast figs; braised kids with squash, tamarind and chickpeas; lamb cutlets with roasted red peppers and salsa verde; butterflied lamb with roasted beetroots and carrots; slow-cooked pork with Jerusalem artichokes and walnut and parsley sauce; spiced pork and veal meatballs with tomato sauce; veal chop with fried courgette shoestrings and aïoli; fillet of beef with anchovy, brown butter and wild greens; skirt steak with kimchi

Vegetables: samphire and chilli oil; radishes poached in chicken stock and butter; broccoli with garlic, chilli and black olive dressing; spinach with girolles; slow-cooked courgettes with tarragon; slow-cooked chard with chickpeas; yellow wax beans, radicchio, barley and basil; new season’s potatoes with lovage oil

Fermented: kombucha; sauerkraut; kimchi

Dessert: iced summer fruits with rose-scented geranium syrup; rhubarb crisp; blackcurrant and buttermilk pudding; summer pudding; quince and cobnut tart; plum upside down cake; apple galette; bitter chocolate and espresso cake; candied blood orange and white chocolate nougat; canelés de Bordeaux

Ice-Creams: langues de chat; vanilla ice-cream; burnt caramel, ginger and chocolate ice-cream; roasted strawberry and balsamic ice-cream; blueberry, lemon and mascarpone ice-cream; walnut and chestnut honey ice-cream; Campari, pomegranate and clementine sorbet; ricotta, pistachio and chocolate ice-cream sandwich

Drinks: lime cordial; cucumber and lime cordial; lovage and fennel seed cordial; lemon barley water; quince, ginger and bay cordial; white peach and lemon verbena; grenadine; tonic; bitters; fig liqueur; bicerin

Also pages on: The Architect | The Name | The Design | The Walls | The Uniforms | The Garden | The Kitchen | The Table | The Opening
You can buy your copy here >

Spring, at Somerset House

Spring, at Somerset House

3 Michelin Stars

Le Bernardin, New York

It’s been a busy week in New York, but the one place I really wanted to eat was Le Bernardin in Midtown.  Holding three Michelin Stars, the Executive Chef and co-owner is Eric Ripert, best buddy of Anthony Bourdain, and host of a variety of TV shows.  My favourite quote of Bourdain’s referencing Eric is this: “There are certain people in your life who call you up at 4 o’clock in the morning and say meet me on the corner of Avenue D and 4th Street, and bring a hand gun, and a stolen car, a tarpaulin and duct tape – you don’t ask why – you just go!”

Eric is classically trained, and has

I bought my first Eric Ripert book in 2006, and have been a huge fan ever since – both in print and via the various tv shows on which he appears.  I even have a little video on my Journal page demonstrating his caviar Croque Monsieur... {Yes, you read that right}

But Le Bernardin prompts such funny reactions amongst my peers – everything from ‘over-priced’, to just a ‘little dull’…

What’s wrong with people?  I found it absolutely perfect – I love that the menu concentrates on fish, and does it flawlessly!  I love that the menu is broken down into Almost Raw, Barely Touched, and Lightly Cooked…

The front of house team are charming, professional, courteous, and well-informed.  The room is wood-panelled, large and airy, and on my visit frequented by the likes of Tobey Maguire {with a very bushy beard, actually…}.  The food is absolutely divine – the mussel broth served with my king fish was one of the most delicious things I’ve had – and you leave feeling as light as a feather, but completely satisfied. Also, given that this week we’ve eaten at Per Se and 11 Madison Park {again}, I think Le Bernardin is stonking value.

If you can’t get into the main restaurant, the lovely chaps will let you eat the main menu in the lounge, which serves customers on a first-come-first-served basis.  If you like your fish, just trust me, go down and try it for yourself.  If you’re a Londoner, again, trust me – this is as good as any fish I’ve eaten in London, being almost the perfect combination of Japanese and French sensibilities.  I’ll ensure it’s on my list every single time I return to New York.

Le Bernardin, New York

Salmon Rillette, with toast

Le Bernardin, New York

Warm King Fish “Sashimi”; Osetra Caviar, Light Marinière Broth

Le Bernardin, New York

Pan Roasted Monkfish; Sautéed Cepes, Pearl Onions à la Crème Paprika Sauce

Le Bernardin, New York

Pan Roasted Lobster; Baby Leeks, Sunchoke Purée, Red Wine “Sauce Américaine”

Le Bernardin, New York

Flourless Hazelnut Cake, Gianduja Mousse, Orange Curd, Praline Ice Cream

Le Bernardin, New York

Financiers

Journal

Lernert and Sander Food Art

There’s something rather beautiful and hypnotic about these cubes – I love that though they appear perfect, when you examine them close up, you can see the inherent characteristics of each food. It’s incredibly difficult to cut a cube of lettuce into a perfect 3 dimensional shape, and the vacuous interior of the red pepper is particularly pleasing!

 

 

Dutch artists Lernert and Sander cut raw food into 98 perfect 2.5 x 2.5 x 2.5 cm cubes, creating a tantalizing geometric display. This viral photo was commissioned by Dutch newspaper de Volkskrant for their their food-themed documentary photography special.

Source: Artists Cut Raw Food Into 98 Perfect Cubes To Make Perfectionists Hungry | Bored Panda

Recipe

Warm spring salad, with a wild garlic dressing

I think we’re all trying to eat more vegetarian food aren’t we?  At least occasionally?  I’m predominantly a vegetarian these days, though I will sometimes eat fish.  But just because you’re eating something vegetarian, it doesn’t mean you have to be boring about it!  This dish satisfies on several levels, and if you really want a bit of protein with it – try adding something delicious, such as a few pieces of Spanish Jamón Ibérico crisped in the oven {which is what I did for Hubby}.

The other key thing about eating vegetarian food is to eat seasonally, so that ingredients are at their peak both in terms of taste and nutrition, and incurring as few food miles as possible.

Ingredients {serves 2}

5 carrots
1 orange pepper
1 tsp caraway seeds
1 tsp green cardamom seeds {podded}
3 Tbsp Marsala
2 Tbsp olive oil
salt and pepper

1/2 golden beetroot
3 Tbsp white balsamic vinegar

1 bunch of asparagus
Handful of parsley
2 Little Gem lettuces
1 Tbsp wild garlic juice*
3 Tbsp natural yoghurt

To Dress:
10 slices of Jamón Ibérico {optional}
Edible flowers {optional}

Method:

  • Peel the carrots, and if they’re large, cut them into quarters.  Chop the pepper into cubes, don’t worry about peeling the skin {unless you desperately want to}
  • Put the carrots and peppers into an appropriate roasting dish with the caraway and cardamom, and the oil.  Season with salt and pepper, and put into a hot oven, at around 180ºC
  • In the meantime, peel and finely slice the beetroot on a mandolin – put into the balsamic vinegar
  • Mix about 1 tablespoon of wild garlic juice* into the yoghurt and set to one side
  • De-ear your asparagus {just pull of the triangular leaves you find on the stalk} and set to one side
  • If using the Bellotta, put individual strips onto a foil lined baking tray, and put in the oven for around 10 minutes, or until they are coloured and crisp
  • When the carrots begin to colour slightly, pour the Marsala into the dish, and put back into the oven
  • Pick over your parsley, and rinse it, then spin it in a salad spinner, to remove the excess water
  • Slice your individual little gem lettuce leaves through the spine into long strips
  • Remove the stamens from your edible flowers, if using
  • When the carrots and peppers begin to caramelise, pop your asparagus tips into a small pan of boiling water, until just cooked
  • While the asparagus is cooking begin to plate up – put a small handful of the parsley and little gem onto the plate, and top with the carrots and pepper.  Scatter your edible flowers, if using, and place a few discs of the pickled beetroot onto the dish.  Spoon small ‘blobs’ of the garlic yoghurt onto the plate and top with the asparagus…  You can also mix the remaining balsamic vinegar with the oil from the carrots, and dress the dish with that.  If using the ham, top the dish with this last, to ensure it remains crisp.

* When wild garlic is in season, I run boxes of the leaves through the juicer, and then freeze the juice in ice-cube trays.  Mixed either with olive oil and vinegar to produce a vinaigrette, or here mixed with yoghurt, or added to stews and sauces, it adds an incredible level of umami to any dish!

Carrot and pepper, roasted with cardamom and caraway
Roasted carrots, beetroot, asparagus
The dish topped with the Jamón Ibérico

Recipe

Antioxidant Rich Smoothies

Smoothies can be a quick way of consuming wasted calories, or with a little planning and foresight, can add valuable minerals and vitamin to your diet – forget throwing in a banana and some milk, and concentrate on building a smoothie recipe which offers you more…  Once you familiarise yourself with the nutritional properties of some of the ingredients, you can tailor something to suit your own specific needs, as I have done here.

The quantities given will make 2 large smoothies – have one for lunch, and save the other for an evening snack, when you feel the chocolate munchies coming on.  Not only will the cacao nibs kill the craving, but they’ll give you a better sense of well-being than chocolate, in my opinion…

Cacao and Coconut Smoothie

50ml almond milk
330ml coconut water
40g coconut flesh
2 bananas
1 Tbsp organic cacoa nibs
1/2 mango
1 passion fruit
50g pineapple
big handful of ice
{handful of mint, for an mint-choc hit ;0)}

Blend all the ingredients together, until the texture is to your liking. The cacao nibs will add fibre, but if you find the texture unpleasant, you could always use ground cacao. Personally I think it adds to the fullness of the smoothie.

Nutritional information:

Almond milk is made from whole, blanched {or sometimes unblanched} almonds which have been soaked in water overnight.  Whizzed with the fresh mineral water the following day, you drain them through muslin 0r nut bag, and use the resulting liquid in place of dairy milk.  The flavour is actually rather refreshing, though not good for cappuccino’s etc.  Nut milks are much higher in protein than cow’s milk, with a lower saturated fat content, and higher level of healthy fats.  Unsweetened almond milk has a low glycemic index, so won’t cause your blood sugar levels to spike – a key consideration when looking for smoothie ingredients, which are so often fruit based. Being non-dairy, it doesn’t require refrigeration either, which makes it great to take out with you for the day!  What else?  There’s no lactose or casein, so it’s eminently suitable for those on a dairy-free, lactose-free, or casein-free diet.  It’s also vegan and vegetarian friendly, so can be enjoyed by everyone apart from our poor nut-allergic chums!  To sweeten almond milk, soak a couple of dates in water for an hour, and blend into the filtered milk.

Coconut water can be a bit of an acquired taste on its own, but add it to juices and smoothies, and it brings a whole heap of benefits to the party.  Containing sugars, minerals, vitamins, cytokinins {which are anti-carcinogenic}, amino acids, cytokine {anti-ageing and PH regulation}, electrolytes {including potassium and sodium, both of which aid rehydration, and give coconut water a similar electrolyte balance to blood}, bioactive-enzymes {which aid digestion}, and phyto-hormones {which are currently touted to be anti-ageing, antioxidant, and again anti-carcinogenic}.

Bananas contain potassium, vitamin B6, magnesium and vitamin C.  Potassium is particularly useful for improving heart health, and lowering blood pressure.  They also contain tryptophan, which can improve your mood and help your memory.  Not just for the kids and the gym freaks after all!

Mango contains an antioxidant called zeaxanthin, which helps filter out blue-light rays, and decreases the risk of age-related macular-degeneration.  The beta-carotene found in its rich orange flesh has been shown to have an adverse affect on colon and prostate cancer.  Again rich in potassium, but also in fibre and Vitamin A, this makes mango a must-eat fruit in my family {my family are predisposed to macular-degeneration, and my father has just finished prostate cancer treatment!}  Eat those mangoes people!

Passion fruit contains dietary fibre, high levels of vitamin C, but also vitamin A, beta-carotene, and our good friend potassium.

Pineapple is the only known source of Bromelain, which is thought to improve joint mobility, decrease joint inflammation, alleviate joint pain, and inhibit tumour growth.  Again it contains vitamin C, betacarotene, and potassium, making this smoothie a real power-house.

Cacao nibs contain flavonoids, similar to those found in tea, grapes and berries.  Whilst research into flavonoids is ongoing, particularly around the quantities which need to be consumed, they are reputed to lower cholesterol, and act as an anti-inflammatory.   They also contain  polyphenols, which again help with cardiovascular health, and are thought to inhibit strokes and cardiovascular disease {both through improving platelet ‘clogging’ and strengthening artery walls}.

Alternatives:  You could swap out the banana for an avocado – it would increase the fat content significantly, but would create a smoother mouth-feel, which would work well with the flavour of the cacao.  You could also add coffee beans and/or a shot of coffee, as a perfect breakfast pick-me-up – it’s yummy!

Baking

Churros, with Pistachio and Cardamom Sugar

Every so often, I think ‘I must make the kids churros for breakfast’, and I very rarely do!!  Perhaps with four of them, Saturday is already too chaotic?  However today they were all a pre-occupied, so I jumped out of bed, and raced into the kitchen.  Inevitably Scarlett followed me, so she helped me make the dough, and find all of the ingredients.  I often have flavoured sugars to hand, and we all know that I love my cardamom and pistachio –  no surprise then that I keep a stash of that in my cold store!  I did also make normal cinnamon and sugar, but honestly, do try it with cardamom – it’s amazing!

This recipe is Nieves Barragán Mohacho’s, and my only comments would be that it’s pretty firm to use in a piping bag – if you have a biscuit press, definitely make sure you use that – I nearly ended up wearing mine!

Ingredients:

Serves 4-6
For the churros:
plain flour 250g
salt 1 pinch
unsalted butter 50g
water 200ml
caster sugar (for dusting the churros) 50g
vegetable oil 300ml

For the chocolate:
dark chocolate (70 % cacao) 150g
double cream 300ml
vanilla pod 1
cinnamon stick 1
whipping cream 100ml

For the pistachio and cardamom sugar:
100g caster sugar
1tsp good ground green cardamom
2 Tbsp good pistachios, ground with the sugar in a spice grinder

 

Method:

  • To make the churros, mix the flour and salt together in a mixing bowl. Heat the butter and water in a pan and bring to the boil. Pour into the flour mixing constantly with a spoon. Mix well and then refrigerate for 30 minutes.
  • Meanwhile, grate the chocolate into a bowl. Heat the double cream with the vanilla pod and cinnamon stick and bring to the boil. Remove the vanilla pod and cinnamon stick and remove the cream from the heat, and stir in the grated chocolate until the chocolate has entirely melted. Meanwhile, whisk the whipping cream until firm.
  • Heat 300ml of vegetable oil to 160C-180C. Fill the churrera/piping bag with your mix and squeeze just a small amount out to check the flow. Pipe out 15cm lengths of churro mix into the hot oil (these can be piped into spirals or loops for aesthetic purposes), and cook for between 7-10 minutes until golden brown. Remove from the oil and place on absorbent kitchen paper and dust with the caster sugar. Serve piping hot with the chocolate.
  • When your churros are ready, divide the chocolate, while still hot, into glasses and dollop a spoon of whipped cream on top. If you have prepared the chocolate in advance and wish to reheat it at the last minute, be careful not to bring to the boil as the mix will curdle.

Churros

Scarlett hugging the warmed dough!

Churros

The churros on the left have the cardamom and pistachio sugar, those on the right, the cinnamon sugar

Churros

On the left, pistachio and cardamom, on the right, cinnamon

 

2 Michelin Stars

Midsummer House, Cambridge

Any trip to Newmarket racecourse is a great excuse to visit Midsummer House in Cambridge, the two Michelin star restaurant of Daniel Clifford, especially with the 14yo in tow! We’ve written about Midsummer House before, so I shan’t regurgitate all of that detail again…

Since we last wrote, Mr Clifford has sold one pub, bought another, and acquired a farm which will supply the restaurant, as well as housing a farm shop and delicatessen.  Inevitably perhaps, this means that it doesn’t feel as though the restaurant is his main focus at the moment.  The FOH were charming, the staff very attentive {though there was a lull during the height of service}, and the routine very well polished.  The food itself is accomplished, though I don’t believe it’s of the calibre of our last visit.  Whilst dishes stood up well individually, the ‘journey’ didn’t seem to have any obvious umami crescendo, despite the extensive use of onion and mushroom etc. This is a definite contrast to our last meal, which felt very ‘tight’ and structured.

Midsummer House is a great restaurant, and we’re absolutely certain that once Daniel’s other ventures are bedded in, Midsummer will return to its usual glorious form.

Addendum: Keen-eyed readers may spot a couple of dishes which resemblance those of Massimo Bottura’s Masterchef 2015 menu… Yes…  We thought that too ;0)  Hey, we’re all inspired by others, and chefs are no different.

Midsummer House
Gin and tonic amuse, with diced cucumber
Midsummer House
Mackerel tartar amuse, on crispy fish skin
Midsummer House
Chicken liver parfait amuse, avocado mousse
Midsummer House
Brillat Savarin eclair, with a citrus gel in a crispy shell
Midsummer House
English asparagus, burnt onion, potatoes, sauce hollandaise
Midsummer House
Smoked haddock, pickled onion, grilled cheese
Midsummer House
Roast veal sweetbread, pink grapefruit, pistachio and turnip purée
Midsummer House
Beetroot baked on open coals, quinoa, goat’s cheese, mizuna
Midsummer House
Beetroot baked on open coals, quinoa, goat’s cheese, mizuna

 

Midsummer House
Hen’s egg, with a Jerusalem artichoke velouté
Midsummer House
Brill, with caviar and oyster leaf
Midsummer House
The smoked hen eggs, that accompany the pot roasted chicken, leeks, mushrooms {sadly not photographed, me being the vegetarian!}
Midsummer House
Fillet of red mullet Rossini, Grelot onion and oyster leaf
Midsummer House
Pousse café
Midsummer House
Yorkshire rhubarb, Bramley apple, vanilla cream, apple caramel
Midsummer House
Chocolate dome with coffee, almond and mascarpone

 

Midsummer House
Midsummer Common
Cambridge, UK 
Website   Facebook

Midsummer House on Urbanspoon

Book Review

Nanban, by Tim Anderson

NanbanFocusing on a subset of Japanese cuisine, Tim has delivered a detailed, authentic and accessible guide to ramen, and the dishes found intheizakaya (Japanese bar). The context of eachdishis explained,andregionality explored – variations and Britishsubstitutionsare listed where possible. Being bar food, there’s also a recommendation for which drinks to have with particular dishes – perfect! The food photography (courtesy of Mr Winch-Furness)isunfussy and appealing, and the openspineis laminated, a nice and unusual touch. Therecipesare broken down as follows:Introduction | IngredientsFundamentals: including kimchi; braised kombu; ume-shiso cucumber; dashi; vegetarian dashi; how to cook Japanese rice

Small Dishes: baked sweet potato with yuzu butter; karashi mentaiko (chili cured pollock roe); mackerel kake-ae (vinegar cured mackerel); onsen tamago (hot spring eggs); buta kakuni manjū (pork belly buns); tonpi (Okinawa-style pork scratchings); gyozo (prawn, pork, vegetable); kara-age (Japanese fried chicken); Satsuma-age (fried fishcakes); mackerel scotch egg, obi-ten style; nadōfu (tofu set with vegetables); hitomoji guru-quru (spring onion bundles); karashi renkon (lotus root stuffed with hot mustard); basashi (horse sashimi); hiyajiru (shilled miso soup); tonjiru (pulled pork miso soup); kanimeshi (crab rice)

Large Dishes: mentaiko pasta; gōyā champloo (bitter melon, tofu and spam stir-fry); yaki-curry (curry rice gratin); sara udon (crispy noodles with vegetables and seafood); yaki-udon (stir-fried udon noodles); tempura; toriten (chicken tempura); chicken nanban (fried marinated chicken with vinegar sauce and tartar sauce); tonkotsu (sweet pork rib stew); nanban-zuke (Japanese escabeche); mizutaki (chicken hotpot); motsu nabe (offal hotpot); tonkatsu (pork schnitzel); simmered sole; taco rice; rice yaki (fried rice and cabbage pancake); Sasebo burger

Grilled Items: kushiyaki (stuff on a stick ;0); pork belly; bacon-wrapped scallops; bacon-wrapped, cheese-stuffed padron peppers; bacon-wrapped vegetables; beef with hot mustard; chicken livers with umboshi; tsukune (chicken patties); chicken skin; buttered garlic; mushrooms with spicy miso butter; iwashi mentai (fish, stuffed with fish eggs); Miyazaki-style grilled chicken; yaki-onigiri (grilled rice balls)

Ramen: broth; tonkotsu broth (pork bone); torigara broth (chicken bone); gyokai broth (seafood); broth seasoning: alkaline noodles; toppings; tea-pickled eggs; chāsu (cola-braised pork belly); namool (spicy bean sprouts); takana-zuke (spicy pickled mustard greens); flavour bombs; yuzu-koshō pork fat; shiitake seaweed butter; spicy miso butter; complete ramen recipes – hiakata-style ramen (pork broth ramen); Kurume-style ramen (rich and rustic pork broth ramen); kumamoto-style ramen (pork broth ramen with fried garlic); Nagasaki-style chanson (seafood, chicken and pork broth with stir-fried seafood); Kagoshima-style ramen (lighter pork broth ramen with extra pork); Miyazaki-style ramen (chicken, port and soy sauce ramen); sōki soba (Okinowan pork rib ramen with a light dash-pork broth); Grand Champion ramen (porcini and tonkatsu broth with truffled lobster gyoza); hunter ramen; reimen (Korean-style chilled ramen); hiyashi chūka (ramen salad)

Desserts: Nagasaki castella; sātā andagī (Okinawan doughnuts); kuromitsu (black sugar syrup); mojiko roll cake; strawberry daifuku (strawberry and red bean paste mochi dumplings); matcha marubōlo; matcha buttercream; Whippy-san (Japanese Mr Whippy); Whippy-san base; sweet-potato Whippy-san; shichimi chocolate Whippy-san; miso caramel Whippy-san; hōjicha Whippy-san; white peach Whippy-san; kinako Whippy-san (soybean flour Mr Whippy)

Drinks: beer; shochu; tea; sake; awamori; whisky; wine; liqueurs; cocktails; nanhattan; miyazaki mai tai; sakurajima sunrise; kyushu libre; Go! Go! Gimlet; Satsuma sour; chu-hi; white peach cordial; grapefruit and honey cordial; apple cinnamon cordial; rhubarb and custard cordial

Useful Information: how to eat in Japan; suppliers

Like Tim, I’ve been an obsessed Japanophile for a long, long time! My childhood was filled with books on the dynastic influences on porcelain production <yup, geek=”” alert=””>, Shogun in the early ’80’s, and lots of representations on film and TV – it’s been a drum to which I’ve long marched. I’ve pored over the descriptions of the Tokyo fish market, and watched ‘Jiro Dreams of Sushi’ – I’ve even worked for a Japanese bank! And yet, in terms of Japanese food culture, my influences have been very firmly embedded in more formal dishes, and especially in sashimi and sushi.

And whilst I do pore over (or should that be paw over?) each new post on the Ramen Adventures blog, ramen remains entrenched in that ‘other’ world. Indeed, when it comes to cookbooks, I’ve bought lots focusing on that fine-dining, sashimi / sushi end of the market* for the last two decades…

As my first foray into Ramen cookbooks, Tim’s detailing of the regional variations, difference in ingredients, and descriptions of what the dishes mean to him, has successfully lured me into that ‘other’. It definitely makes me want to make Ramen myself, to play with the complexities, and to immerse myself in the regional variations of Japanese cuisine. It’s a fascinating book, but much more importantly, it’s a book that makes me want to eat the dishes!

* Most of these are great, though few contain any ramen recipes!
– Japanese Food and Cooking: rice; noodles; vegetables; beans; tofu; mushrooms; seaweeds; herbs; fruit; shellfish; fish; fish roe; fish paste; meat & chicken; sauces; vinegar & mirin; pickles; bread & buns; cakes & sweets; tea
– Japanese Cooking: A Simple Art: a strong ingredients and techniques section, followed by soups; sashimi; grilled & pan-fried dishes; simmered; deep-fried dishes; salads; one-pot dishes; rice dishes; sushi; noodles; sweets
– Japanese Farm Food: the Japanese farmhouse kitchen; small bites with drinks; pickles and soups; soya beans and eggs; noodles and rice; vegetables; fish and seafood; meat; dressings and sauces; desserts and sweets
– Nobu the Cookbook: ingredients; shellfish; shrimp, lobster, crab; octopus and squid; fish; salads, vegetables and soba; sushi; sauces; desserts
– Nobu West: cold and hot appetisers; salads; sashimi; soup; fry; bake; steam; sauté; grill; rice, sushi and noodles; desserts; cocktails; sauces
– Nobu Now: appetisers; sashimi; salad; soup; fry; steam; sauté; grill; sushi; soba; rice; dessert; sauce
– Nobu Miami: finger foods; luncheons; intimate dinners; Nobu classics; desserts (essentially a party book)
– Nobu Vegetarian
– Sushi and Beyond: a great travel diary, as Michael Booth travels the length and breadth of Japan with his family
– Tetsuya: (no formal contents, but) cold starters (incl. shellfish and fish); salads; pasta; soba; cooked fish, meat and poultry; desserts and basics
– The Japanese Kitchen: rice & beans; noodles; vegetables; mushrooms; tofu and tofu products; seaweed; fish & shellfish; fish roe & pastes; meat & poultry; sauces & seasonings; drinks & confectionary
– Japanese Kitchen Knives: a great break down of knives, and how to use them to fillet fish, prepare vegetables etc
– Everyday Harumi: sauces; beef; chicken; pork; fish; shellfish; rice; noodles; eggs; tofu; miso; ginger; sesame; watercress; spinach; cucumber; asparagus; aubergine; tomato; potato; carrots; cauliflower; cabbage; mixed vegetables
– Harumi’s Japanese Cooking: appetisers and entrées; soup and noodles; rice; tofu; seafood; chicken & egg; beef & pork; sushi, vegetables; desserts
– Hashi: basics; beginners; home cooks; gourmet dishes; sushi; dessert (those then broken into soups and starters; salads and side dishes; fish and seafood; meat and poultry; rice and noodles; tofu)
– Dashi and Umami: as it suggests, focuses on dashi
– Morimoto: sashimi and sushi; rice, noodles, bread and soups; fish and shellfish; poultry and meat; vegetables, tofu, egg; desserts
– YO! Sushi: the basics; sauces, dressings and marinades; novice; apprentice; samurai (possible the closest comparison)