To assemble the prawn banh mi, cut the baguette into 3 equal lengths and cut each in half horizontally. Spread the cut sides of the bread with mayonnaise and sit 2 prawn patties on each bottom half of bread. Using a smart peeler, shave long, thin ribbons from the cucumber. Pile cucumber and drained pickled carrot ribbons on top of the patties, followed by a few bean sprouts, some chopped coriander and sliced spring onions. Finally, drizzle over a little seasoning sauce and sprinkle with chopped chilli before replacing the bread tops. I think a sandwich is best when you’re struggling to close it.
Tunisian snack
Tunisia is famous for olive oil and dates but less well known for its superb canned tuna. I love cooking with food from cans as there is something very satisfying about raising the profile of simple foods as I’ve done here with this marvellous chilli sandwich.
Serves 3–4
1 loaf of Italian bread about 30cm [12in] long (see my note below)
140-g [5-oz] can of tuna in oil
For the Tunisian salad
1 large tomato
1 green [bell] pepper
½ cucumber
¼ bunch of fresh coriander [cilantro]
¼ onion
olive oil (if the oil in the can of tuna is good quality, I suggest you don’t waste it but use it for dressing the salad)
salt and pepper
a squeeze of lemon juice
To serve
2 eggs
2 tsp harissa (personally I love it, so I add a bit more)
2 tsp capers
2 tsp finely chopped preserved lemons
100g [3½oz] boiled potatoes, sliced or chopped
1–2 chillies, chopped
Slice the bread in half lengthwise. Drain the tuna, reserving the oil, if it is good quality, for the salad.
For the Tunisian salad, chop the tomato, green pepper and cucumber into small dice. Coarsely chop three-quarters of the coriander, reserving the rest for garnishing the sandwich, and finely chop the onion. Mix everything together in a bowl with olive oil, salt, pepper and the lemon juice.
Cook the eggs for 10 minutes in a pan of boiling water. Drain and place in a bowl of cold water. When cool enough to handle, peel off the shells and slice into rounds.
Open the bread and spread the cut sides with harissa. Spoon the salad over the bottom half of the bread, followed by the tuna, broken into large flakes, the sliced eggs and, finally, the capers, preserved lemons and potatoes.
Garnish with chopped chillies and the remaining coriander leaves, replace the top half of the bread and serve.
The more you know
Italian bread has been popular in Tunisia since it was introduced there by the Italians who moved to the country for work in the 19th and early 20th centuries. Known as ‘khobz’, it is a long white loaf with quite a dense texture and nigella seeds sprinkled on top. Available from north African food stores but, if you can’t track it down, you could use a baguette or ciabatta instead.
#HACK
12 dried spices that will make you a CHEF
I love my spices as they bring so much flavour and colour to food. They are, of course, key elements in complex curries but they can also raise a bowl of rice or pasta up to CHEF level. What is probably most important about them is that spices are not, and must never be, for the sole use of chefs! Here is a list of those I always have in my kitchen cupboard.
Black pepper – pungent and piquant
Adds depth and heat to any savoury dish but it can also be used sparingly on some desserts (for example, a touch of freshly ground black pepper is sublime on strawberries and cream).
Food pairing: pasta (definitely carbonara), steak, carrots, corn, cream, cauliflower
Chilli powder – hot and red-ish
Heat in powdered form is just too convenient not to include here. It’s not commonly used in France, to my regret as heat is such an essential part of so many dishes – try to imagine Thai or Mexican food without it… see what I mean?
Food pairing: prawns [shrimp], crab, aubergine [eggplant], stir fries, beef, ramen, pork
Cinnamon – sweet and woody
Universally popular and used around the globe, particularly in Northern Europe, North America and North Africa. I use half a cinnamon stick to lightly flavour stews and marinades and the ground version to sprinkle over desserts.
Food pairing: crème brûlée, pastries, apple pies, doughnuts, Moroccan pastilla, rice (add a bay leaf and get crowned)
Cloves – powerful and menthol-y
ULTRA powerful, SUPER-pungent and MEGA menthol-y, so when it comes to size don’t trust them! Use just one (or two – how can you?) of these tiny flavour bombs to brilliantly enhance your stock but one too many will literally anaesthetize your palate forever.
Food pairing: French pot au feu and Vietnamese pho bo are the best examples
Coriander seeds – fresh and citrusy
The first spice on my list which adds freshness rather than warmth to a dish. And, hey, if you find fresh coriander [cilantro] has a soapy flavour, don’t judge the seeds too quickly as they are quite different. Coriander seeds will balance the power of cumin and that’s why they are often used together in dishes.
Food pairing: pickled vegetables, any curry, stews, marinades
Cumin seeds – warm and earthy
Really powerful and used widely in Mexican, Middle Eastern, North African and Indian cuisines. I often combine them with coriander seeds as they balance each other nicely.
Food pairing: chilli, falafel, roasted parsnips, honey, parsley, black beans, onions
Fennel seeds – fresh and aniseed-y
No pepper, wood, lemon, heat or smoke here as fennel seeds bring something different – fresh aniseed. Definitely less powerful than star anise but way more versatile. Like coriander seeds it’s on the fresh side but naughtier.
Food pairing: sausages (Italian), seafood, stir fries (it’s part of Chinese five-spice mix)
Garlic powder – intense
I grew up in a Mediterranean environment, which meant that garlic was infused in my baby bottle (it’s a joke, OK? Are you outta your mind?!). Dried garlic powder is quite intense and powerful so I usually go for garlic flakes.
Food pairing: onions, celery, carrots, ginger
Ground ginger – piquant
As with garlic, I tend to use fresh ginger whenever possible but it’s always handy to have ground ginger on hand just in case.
Food pairing: use it with confidence in any marinade or Indian-inspired dish and, oh, don’t forget those cakes and cookies
Nutmeg – woody and lemony
Usually sold as a whole nut to be finely grated, but beware! A little goes a long way and it can actually be toxic if you add too much. You think I’m joking? I am deadly serious.
Food pairing: savoury custards, creamy rice desserts, pie fillings, spinach… white sauces like béchamel can’t really live without it
Smoked paprika – warm and deep red
I discovered this quite late in my culinary journey but immediately fell in love with its deep red colour and gentle heat but, of course, mostly with its warm vibe of a glowing fireplace.
Food pairing: pork ribs, beef brisket, fresh goat cheese, egg tortilla or any dish you want to pimp with a lil’ bbq taste
Turmeric – peppery and proudly yellow
The perfect example of how important spices are in giving dishes colour! Turmeric is a vibrant visual extravaganza that you’ll find everywhere in India, Pakistan and Bangladesh.
Food pairing: cauliflower, cabbage, root vegetables, rice, soups
Magic-crust quiche Lorraine
As with pizzas or sushi, people often wrongly believe that a good quiche is judged on the quality of its filling. For me, it’s the buttery flavour, the golden colour and crispy-crumbly texture of the crust that makes this iconic tart such a masterpiece. My twist – to really grab people’s attention –is to add spices to the pastry.
Serves 6
For the
pastry
1 tsp cumin seeds
1 tsp coriander seeds
½ tsp allspice berries
½ tsp whole black peppercorns
225g [scant 2 cups] plain [all-purpose] flour, plus extra for rolling out
115g [scant ½ cup] butter, diced and softened
½ tsp salt
1 egg
3 Tbsp milk
For the ‘custard’ filling
225ml [1 cup] milk
225ml [1 cup] double [heavy] cream
3 eggs
salt and pepper
150–200g [5½–7oz] best-quality smoked bacon rashers [slices]
Put a frying pan [skillet] over a high heat, add the spices and roast them for 30–60 seconds. Grind all the spices together to a fine powder and, if not using immediately, store in an airtight container.
For the pastry, in a mixing bowl, rub the flour, butter, salt and the ground spices together with your fingertips until the mixture is like fine breadcrumbs. Beat the egg with the milk and gradually work into the mixture, kneading lightly to make a smooth dough.
Preheat the oven to 200ºC/180ºC fan/400ºF/Gas 6. Roll out the pastry on a lightly floured board until 5mm [¼in] thick and lift into a 25-cm [10-in] loose-bottomed tart tin [tart pan] that you’ve greased with butter and lightly floured. To stop the pastry puffing up in the centre (funny, but not practical), line it with baking parchment and weigh it down with baking beans or dried chickpeas. This technique is called ‘baking blind’. Bake for 15 minutes, then remove from the oven but leave the oven on.
For the ‘custard’ filling, whisk the milk, cream and eggs together in a bowl and season with salt and pepper. Cut the bacon into lardons and fry them in a dry frying pan until golden.
When the pastry case comes out of the oven, remove the beans and parchment and scatter the lardons in the case. Carefully pour in the ‘custard’ and bake for about 45 minutes or until the filling is golden but still slightly wobbly in the centre.
NOT A BENE
It is important to knead the dough as little as possible. People often think that it’s necessary to do this for a long time so it becomes smooth and elastic. This is absolutely right but only if you’re making bread or pizza dough. With pastry, it’s the complete opposite as you want it to be soft and crumbly...
Irregular quiche with ‘shrooms and blue cheese
OK, I know that if you cut mushrooms into equal pieces they will cook evenly and if the quiche fillings are neatly arranged in the pastry case everyone will get a fair slice. But all this symmetry is boring!!! Tearing up mushrooms with your fingers creates different textures and tastes. In the same way, putting the filling ingredients randomly in the pastry case challenges you at the table as you have to decide which slice of quiche you want: would you rather have more melting cheese or more woody mushrooms? Regularity might be satisfying but irregularity stirs up emotions.
Serves 6
olive oil
300g [10½oz] wild mushrooms, e.g. portobello, ceps, shiitake
1 tsp butter
1 small garlic clove, crushed
2 Tbsp chopped fresh herbs, a mix of parsley and tarragon or thyme
salt and pepper
1 quantity of Magic-Crust Quiche Lorraine pastry made without the spices
100g [3½oz] soft blue cheese, cut into pieces
10 canned cooked whole chestnuts, broken into large pieces
For the ‘custard’ filling
225ml [1 cup] milk
225ml [1 cup] double [heavy] cream
3 eggs
salt and pepper
Heat a little oil in a frying pan [skillet] or – better still – a grill pan, over a medium-high heat and fry the mushrooms, having first taken care to either spread them flat or carefully tear them into large (about 2.5-cm [1-in]) pieces. Turn them over from time to time until they are nicely charred and then remove from the heat and set to one side.
While the mushrooms are still hot, add the butter, garlic and chopped herbs and season with salt and pepper. Stir gently and resist the urge to eat them as you’ll need them later!
Preheat the oven to 200ºC/180ºC fan/400ºF/Gas 6. Roll out the pastry on a lightly floured board until 5mm [¼in] thick and lift into a 25-cm [10-in] loose-bottomed tart tin [tart pan] that you’ve greased with butter and lightly floured. Bake blind for 15 minutes (see Magic-crust quiche Lorraine). When the blind baking is done, remove from the oven but leave the oven on.
For the ‘custard’ filling, whisk the milk, cream and eggs together in a bowl and season with salt and pepper.
When the pastry case comes out of the oven, remove the beans and parchment and scatter the mushrooms, blue cheese and chestnuts in the case. Carefully pour in the ‘custard’ and bake for about 45 minutes or until the filling is golden but still slightly wobbly in the centre.
Ratatouille quiche
The word ‘ratatouille’ comes from the Occitan language of southern France and just means a mixed stew. But, hey, what a stew! Not only is it fresh, colourful and easy to make but it’s a great way to get kids to eat their veg. Now, turn it into a quiche and – boy – those kids might become vegetarians.
Serves 6
For the ratatouille
1 large red onion
3 garlic cloves
1 red [bell] pepper
1 yellow or orange [bell] pepper
1 courgette [zucchini]
1 small aubergine [eggplant]
4 tomatoes
olive oil
1 Tbsp fresh thyme leaves
For the pastry
1 quantity of Magic-Crust Quiche Lorraine pastry made without the spices
For the ‘custard’ filling
115ml [½ cup] double [heavy] cream
115ml [½ cup] milk
3 eggs
salt and pepper
torn fresh basil leaves, to garnish
For the ratatouille, peel and cut the onion into wedges. Peel and thinly slice the garlic cloves. Deseed the peppers, trim the courgette and aubergine and cut into 2.5-cm [1-in] chunks. Quarter the tomatoes.
Heat 2–3 tablespoons of olive oil in a large casserole dish [Dutch oven] or saucepan and fry the onion and garlic over a low heat for about 5 minutes, until the onion has softened. Add the peppers, courgette, aubergine and thyme leaves, turn up the heat a little and fry for 10–15 minutes over a medium heat or until the vegetables are softened and golden, stirring from time to time. Remove the vegetables from the pan to a plate and set aside with the tomatoes.
Preheat the oven to 200ºC/180ºC fan/400ºF/Gas 6. Roll out the pastry on a lightly floured board until 5mm [¼in] thick and lift into a 25-cm [10-in] loose-bottomed tart tin [tart pan] that you’ve greased with butter and lightly floured. Bake blind for 15 minutes (see Magic-crust quiche Lorraine). When the blind baking is done, remove from the oven but leave the oven on.
For the ‘custard’ filling, whisk the milk, cream and eggs together in a bowl and season with salt and pepper.
When the pastry case comes out of the oven, remove the beans and parchment and spoon all the vegetables into the case, spreading them out evenly. Season with a good pinch of salt and freshly ground black pepper. Carefully pour in the ‘custard’, shaking the tin gently so the custard is evenly distributed.
Bake for about 30 minutes or until the filling is golden but still slightly wobbly in the centre. Serve hot with torn basil leaves scattered over.
#HACK
A crash course in making Neapolitan pizza
Except on very, very rare occasions, I don’t follow recipes to the letter. I believe in free interpretation and that adding a little bit more of this or that isn’t going to change the world. Except, that is, when it comes to a Neapolitan pizza. I then switch from being a relaxed and easy-going hippy to an obsessive and meticulous chemist, ready to commit murder to produce THE perfect pizza!
The dough For me, getting the pizza dough right is the key. The ingredients used are very basic – water, flour, s
alt and yeast – but making it is still sufficiently complex to need to learn to master it completely.
The flour Choose a wheat flour with a high protein content [<10%] and labelled ‘TIPO 00’, if possible. As it is ground more finely, it absorbs water better. Bread/strong flour will also do.
The yeast It doesn’t matter whether it’s dried or fresh; what is important is that only a very little is used [0.2% of the weight of the flour] and that rising times for the dough are sufficiently long.
Hydration Neapolitan pizza dough is well hydrated [65–70% of the weight of the flour], which makes it much more elastic and above
all ensures the dough is airy and bubbly in the oven during baking.
Proving As with bread, pizza dough needs two risings: the first for 2 hours at room temperature [25ºC/77ºF] and then a second much longer one that I like to do in the refrigerator overnight.
Shaping A ball of dough that is well rested can be shaped quickly and without too much effort into a pizza base. Lay your hand flat on the dough and, flexing your fingers, push the air out of it towards the edges in order to form a disc, 5mm [¼in] thick in the centre and 1–2cm [–¾in] thick at the outside.
Tomato sauce This is easier to make than you might think. It consists of good-quality canned San Marzano tomatoes that you simply crush with oil, salt and oregano until smooth.
Cheese Use mozzarella or Fior di Latte, plus Parmesan. From experience, I find a slightly dryer mozzarella releases less water and that prevents the centre from being undercooked. Avoid using too much Parmesan – it’s just there to add substance.
Baking Oven cooking is essential for making a successful pizza. It must bake very quickly and at a high temperature – preheat the oven to its highest setting.
Pizza stone/steel In a traditional pizza oven, the pizza is baked from below. To replicate this at home, use a preheated pizza stone, an upturned, preheated griddle pan, or a ‘baking steel’, which is a stainless steel slab.
Just a French Guy Cooking Page 5
