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My arse, my dad, heat and ash at The Underground Lunch

April 19, 2010 18 Comments Filed Under: Food, Recipes, Uncategorized

Shhh, don’t tell The Underground… (Pic: Gavin Rodgers)

Morel mushrooms from L.Booth in Borough Market

Rigatoni Puttanesca…or whore’s pasta, ‘puttana’ is Italian for prostitute (pic: Gavin Rodgers)
Lenny and Adam helped out…

Les tricoteuses…a group named Eat1Knit1.

So nice when guests dress up…so cheering
Fish waiting to go into the oven (pic: Gavin Rodgers)

Sea bass with morels and potatoes
Blood orange, fennel, pomegranate and mint salad

Cheeses from Neal’s Yard:
plus feijoa, a guava-like fruit that can be eaten like an apple, pecan nuts and my fig confit (braised for three weeks in red wine) (not pictured)

Rhubarb fool

I left the rhubarb syrup on the Aga overnight and by the morning it was rhubarb flavoured caramel
Tits and tats: an illustrious and illustrated guest…who fell wearing perilously high heels the night before and broke her nose…

Yes in the corner that is MsMarmitelover typically wearing too short a dress. All kitchen staff and most guests have, by now, seen my arse. Which is quite pert as it happens. (pic: Gavin Rodgers)

Such hot weather that guests took dessert and coffee in the garden… (Pic: Gavin Rodgers)

As ash paralysed and quietened the skies of Europe, it was a beautiful day for The Underground Lunch … if it carries on like this, I’d like to have tables outside. If anyone has any garden tables and chairs they can donate please get in touch.

On one table we had les tricoteuses, knitting between courses; on another, sat my parents, my brother and his wife. My dad talked to one of the knitters:

“I had a nice chat with that girl with the tattoos. She’s a single mum, likes crochet and she’s not a lesbian.” He told me, looking pleased with himself.

“You asked her that?”

“Well, yes”

Groaning internally I went over to her and, trying to make light of my family’s very own Prince Phillip, chortlingly asked:

“Did my dad ask if you were a lesbian?”

“Sure” she drawled forgivingly in a Californian accent “but hey, that’s ok. I was hoping he would kiss me. I don’t know why he didn’t”

“Um, maybe because my mum would have objected?” I ventured…thinking now that would be an event, my dad getting off with a guest…

Her eyes widened “Well he never mentioned her…”

Menu:

Kir Royale

Rigatoni Puttanesca (for me, a Sunday lunch should start with pasta)

Seabass with morel mushrooms and potatoes

Veggie Option: Morel gratin (really bloody delicious, the veggies aren’t fobbed off with leftovers here)

Blood orange, fennel, pomegranate, mint salad with citrus dressing

Cheese board: Sleightly’s (goat), Childwicksbury (goat), Milleen’s (cow), Berkswell (cow), Colston Bassett Stilton (cow), Snowdonia Cheddar (cow). Homemade fig confit, pecan nuts, feijoa fruit, cheese oatcakes and St John’s sourdough bread.

Rhubarb fool

Coffee by Douwe Egberts (vintage blend)

The Underground Cooking class on Saturday went well, we learnt to make focaccia and fresh pasta then sat down to eat.

Charity shop haul this week…constantly need new vintage china and glasses. I’m collecting cut and pressed glass at the moment.
Babycham glasses found in Portobello Market
Recipe for the salad:
Peel the blood oranges, slice thinly
Slice fennel thinly
Pick the seeds from a pomegranate, save to scatter over the top
Some torn mint leaves
A citrus dressing: I used the juice of a blood orange, some lemon, some lemon mustard, olive oil, Malden salt.
Slice up the oranges and fennel.
Layer and marinate with the dressing.
Add the pomegranate seeds and mint leaves
Recipe for the morel gratin:
Potatoes
Butter
Double cream
Vegetable or mushroom stock
salt
Bay leaves
Morel mushrooms
Cheese, say cheddar or caerphilly, grated
Slice potatoes thinly, layer nicely in a buttered baking tin
Do three layers of the potatoes
Dot with cubes of butter
Add a little veg stock, half way up tin
Add enough double cream to cover the potatoes
Slice morels into half, scatter cut side down onto potatoes
Stick in a couple of bay leaves
Salt to taste
Cover with a layer of grated cheese
Bake in a medium oven for 45 minutes

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Comments

  1. Miss Whiplash

    April 19, 2010 at 5:33 pm

    Slavering over your morels picture…
    Were they horrendously expensive?

    Reply
  2. MsMarmitelover

    April 19, 2010 at 5:42 pm

    L.Booth were selling them for £35 a kilo. They were like truffles…perfumed the dish…

    Reply
  3. aforkfulofspaghetti

    April 19, 2010 at 5:42 pm

    Ha ha! Fair play to your dad 😉

    Looks like you all had a lovely time – and blessed by the weather, too. Long may it continue!

    Reply
  4. neil

    April 19, 2010 at 8:13 pm

    Is that Cherie that fell on her face ? If so I've seen her do that before.

    Reply
  5. Anonymous

    April 19, 2010 at 9:15 pm

    Knit 1 Eat 1!

    Reply
  6. KarlB

    April 19, 2010 at 11:12 pm

    You had Feijoa's! I thought I would never see them used in the UK. As a New Zealander I love them, but apparently many people here don't (especially 42 Below Feijoa Vodka which I think is delish).

    Reply
  7. theundergroundrestaurant

    April 20, 2010 at 4:14 am

    I really liked them Karl, but they are expensive here, a quid each…
    neil yes that is Cherie. What a woman…

    Reply
  8. boy und schwester

    April 20, 2010 at 9:29 am

    Can I ask how you made the rhubarb syrup? I'm making a rhubarb trifle/tiramisu/fool thing tomorrow night and rhubarb syrup would be perfect!

    Reply
  9. theundergroundrestaurant

    April 20, 2010 at 9:41 am

    I braised the rhubarb with sugar…no water, for 45 minutes on a slow oven. Then strained the juice out and reduced it to half. I then left the pan on the closed aga and overnight it became caramel…a really acidic rhubarby caramel…gorgeous.

    Reply
  10. 365 Tage

    April 20, 2010 at 10:02 am

    Ilovethis blog

    Reply
  11. Suffolk Restaurant

    April 20, 2010 at 12:30 pm

    That was such a lovely post, feltlike I ws there thank you. Have added you to my favorites.

    How would I find out if there are any events in my area?

    Thanks in advance

    Reply
  12. boy und schwester

    April 20, 2010 at 3:50 pm

    Thanks! I'm going to try the same, on a gas stove… overnight… hmm!

    Reply
  13. Julie

    April 20, 2010 at 6:38 pm

    Just wanted to say that I had a lovely time at this lunch. Fab food, lovely people, great atmos and just a very nice, unique experience all round.

    Also wanted to say thanks for the singles supperclub advice! Cheers… Will take heed though may still try our luck.

    Thanks again.

    x

    Reply
  14. LexEat!

    April 20, 2010 at 7:39 pm

    Your lunch looks lovely! I particularly love the beautiful photo of the rhubarb fool.

    Reply
  15. Plum Kitchen

    April 20, 2010 at 9:11 pm

    A quid each?! My sister keeps turning up with bags of the sodding things from her tree, I cant keep up (would post some over if I could!)…….wish I could attend in person, love the blog, and the concept. Tried in vain to find something similar here in Auckland, so am starting my own!

    Reply
  16. theundergroundrestaurant

    April 20, 2010 at 10:37 pm

    Boy: the thing about leaving it on an Aga all night is I just left it on top because it's warm all the time.

    365: thanks

    Suffolk Restaurant: I'm not sure in Suffolk. I know there are some in Norfolk. check http://supperclubfangroup.ning.com/ to see if there are any in your area.

    Julie: it's worth a shot. And if you get any decent men who aren't too young, let me know!
    Lex: thank you!
    Plum: they were so delicious…
    Brilliant, yes start your own. My friend @curdnerd is going to start one in New Zealand when he returns home…

    Reply
  17. cherie...

    April 21, 2010 at 2:39 pm

    it was so lovely to meet you and your father and the rest of the underground kitcheners. look forward to spending many more sunny afternoons in your company…and gracing you with a bit of yarnbombing sometime.

    and yes neil it was me…
    luckily i am healing well and nothing a bit of make-up can't cover!

    cherie xxx

    Reply
  18. MsMarmitelover

    April 21, 2010 at 3:02 pm

    Thanks Cherie…would love to be yarnbombed! x

    Reply

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MsMarmiteLover aka Kerstin Rodgers.

Chef, photographer, author, journalist, blogger. Pioneer of the supperclub movement.

This is my food and travel blog, with recipes, reviews and travel stories. I also stray into politics, feminism, gardening.

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Kerstin Rodgers/MsMarmiteLover
Got the sewing machine out last night and hemmed t Got the sewing machine out last night and hemmed the top of these toile de jouey curtains in my summer house shed. The days are lengthening a little which brightens up my mood. Self care= trying to get up and washed. Trying to leave the house once a day. Keeping my hands busy. Finding small ways to be creative. #coronaloner #sewingmachine #curtains #shedsofinstagram #sheshed #springiscoming #supperclub #stayingsane #selfcare #lockdown3
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Galette des Rois, made yesterday in 12th night. Mi Galette des Rois, made yesterday in 12th night. Minus Crown and king as I cannot find either. This one is made with Tonka bean. Plus homemade puff pastry (well worth the effort). According to ike delorenzo at The Atlantic:  The tonka bean, a flat, wrinkled legume from South America with an outsize flavor that the US government has declared illegal. Nonetheless, it proliferates on elite American menus. The tiniest shavings erupt in a Broceliande of transporting, mystical aromas.
The taste of the tonka bean is linked strongly to its scent. "Scents," I should say, as the tonka bean has many at once. I register the aromas of vanilla, cherry, almond, and something spicy—a bit like cinnamon. When served cold—say, in tonka bean ice cream—the taste is like a vanilla caramel with dark honey. When warm, perhaps shaved over scallops, it moves toward spiced vanilla. Additionally, the aroma of the tonka bean shavings (it's almost always shaved) is so affecting that it seems like an actual taste in the way that opium, which has no taste in the traditional sense, "tastes" like its rich, flowery smoke.  Here is the recipe: 

Tonka bean galette des rois

Serves 8
Ingredients
* 140 g caster sugar
* 125 g salted butter, softened
* 100 g ground almonds
* 2 eggs, medium
* 1 tonka bean, grated
* 2 packs ready made butter puff pastry on a roll
* 1 yolk for brushing the pastry
Instructions
* Preheat your oven to 200c.

* Blend the butter with the sugar then add the almonds. Make sure it’s well mixed. Add in the 2 eggs one at a time, then add the tonka bean.

* If using a block: divide the puff pastry into two and roll out to 5mm thick. 
* Make two circles about 15 cm’s each in diameter. Lay one circle on a silicone mat/parchment paper on a baking tray and fill with the almond cream leaving a 3 cm border around the edge. 
* Paint the border with the egg yolk. Then lay the other circle on top, sealing the edges with a fork. 
* You could then carve designs into the top. Make a little slit in the middle to let steam escape then brush the top with the egg yolk
Mapo tofu is probably my favourite Sichuan dish. T Mapo tofu is probably my favourite Sichuan dish. This is a vegan version. ***

Ingredients:
- 400 g box of soft tofu not silken
- 5 soaked dried shiitake mushrooms, diced, keep water
- 1 red bell pepper, finely sliced
- 400 g fresh shiitake mushroom, sliced thinly
- 400 ml vegetable stock
- 1 thumb fresh ginger, minced
- 3 cloves garlic, crushed
- 4 tbsps groundnut or vegetable oil
- 3 tbsp fermented bean paste
- 1 or 2 small red chillies, minced or a spoonful of Chinese chilli paste
- 1 tsp heaped sichuan peppercorns, finely ground
- 2 tbsps soy or tamari sauce
- 2 tbsp cornflour in 3 tbsps water, mixed into a slurry
- 4 spring onions, finely sliced
- large pinch fresh coriander leaves

Prepare the tofu by cutting it into one inch cubes and soaking it in hot but not boiling salted water. Drain after 15 minutes.
Soak the dried shiitake mushrooms, covering them in boiling water. Leave until soft, then dice the mushrooms. Retain the mushroom soaking water and add to the vegetable stock water.
Prepare the other ingredients so they are ready to stir-fry: red bell pepper, fresh mushrooms, ginger, garlic.

Using a wok or deep frying pan, add the oil and heat to frying temperature. Add the bell peppers,fry for a couple of minutes, then add fermented bean paste, chilli paste or chillies, ginger, garlic, soy sauce, sichuan pepper.
Add the mushroom/vegetable broth and simmer on high for a couple of minutes.
Carefully add the cubes of tofu, taking care not to break them too much.
Add the cornflour slurry, stirring for a couple of minutes.
Serve with rice or noodles, garnishing with spring onions or chives and or coriander leaves.  #veganuary #mapotofu #sichuanfood #tofu  #shitakemushrooms #supperclub #londonchef #msmarmitelover #ham&highcolumn #eatplants #lockdown3 #selfisolation #coronaloner #cooking #recipe #cookingfromscratch
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Writing about tofu which I think has an unfair rep Writing about tofu which I think has an unfair reputation in this country. It’s so flexible and is a brilliant flavour sponge. Here I’m preparing my soft tofu for a Japanese dish: agedashi tofu. I first pressed it in a clean tea towel with a weight on top to firm it up a bit but not too much. Then I dusted it with cornflour and I will deep fry it in oil. Then I will serve it in a broth of dashi/mirin and tamari sauce, sprinkled with finely chopped spring onions and togarashi pepper from Japan. I would usually add some finely mandolined daikon radish but couldn’t find any. It’s a subtle dish of texture: soft yet crispy. After Christmas I’m desperate for light zingy fresh flavoured food. #supperclub #tofu #vegan #vegetarian #agedashitofu #newyearsday #cookingagain #lunch #asian #japanesefood
Happy new year from my bubble to yours! Keep holdi Happy new year from my bubble to yours! Keep holding on...
#happynewyear #happynewyear2021 #supperclub #hootenanny
Some of my Christmas food 🥘 lots of veg includi Some of my Christmas food 🥘 lots of veg including mashed swede with cheese and butter. I put pomegranate seeds with my sprouts, and cooked my carrots in marmalade ( worked v well), the mushroom wreath fell apart as I was transferring it to a tray 😤, roast potatoes and parsnips, then a cheese spread with fruit nuts, quince cheese (homemade), Chocs @lindtuk 😍 @guylian_uk @disaronno_official @baileysofficial @taylorsportwine and Brazil nuts. Plus a pavlova wreath ready to be topped with whipped cream and persimmons. 
#christmasdinner #vegetarianchristmas #vegetarianchristmasdinner #supperclub #londonchristmas #liqueurs #christmasspread #grazing #cheeseboard #port #pavlova
Christmas has started! Home-cured smoked beetroot Christmas has started!  Home-cured smoked beetroot and aquavit salmon with homemade blinis, creme fraiche, dill, Prosecco.  The fire is lit 🔥, the tree is up, 🎄the presents 🎁 are wrapped, we have a #brexit deal- a Christmas miracle. Peace and harmony. #christmas #christmasinengland #homemade #christmaseve #blinis #smokedsalmon #prosecco🍾 #londonchristmas
Done some doorscaping, the latest trend in Christm Done some doorscaping, the latest trend in Christmas decorating. It might also cheer up passersby. #christmas #christmasdecor #doorscaping #doorsofinstagram #londonchristmas #doorwreath #doordecor #doorsoftheworld #doordecoration #exteriors #london #supperclub #covidchristmas
Look at my gorgeous Nordic pine Christmas tree 🎄 from @pinesandneedles with some family ornaments and beautiful foodie ornaments from @gisela_graham  it’s 7 foot high and no drop. My parents brought over the candle lights. I’ve also used paper ornaments (apples and pears cut from maps) from @dionne_leonard which I first commissioned for a supper club.  #christmas #christmastree #christmasdecor #foodiedecorations #glassbaubles #supperclub #christmasinlondon
More #fbmarketplacefinds I find meeting the seller More #fbmarketplacefinds I find meeting the sellers interesting. It’s often about moving on whether through death, a change of circumstances, moving country, loss of a job. Today I visited a gorgeously renovated Edwardian house where the owners, an antique dealer & a master decorator had died with 18 months of each other of cancer.  The sister was there emptying the house, an incredibly painful experience. The husband who died was an expert in putting up lincrusta wallpaper which I’ve pictured here. All that craftsmanship and knowledge lost now.  The piece I got on Sunday, the teal chinoiserie cabinet, was from a Spanish guy returning to Spain. He’d lost his job as a hotel manager, the hotel, a big one, has now closed. The marble coffee table and arepas grill was from a Spanish couple who’d had a restaurant here for 40 years. They are now returning to Spain. Other slides: green Edwardian fireplace tiles, William Morris wallpaper, 2 small scalloped coffee tables, a knife and fork cutlery hook set.  A fireplace for my bedroom if I can find someone to put it in. #lockdownstories #covidstories #movingon #decor #interiors #bargains #secondhandstyle #edwardianstyle #williammorris #tiles #wallpaper #scallopededge #teal #chinoiserie #whitemarble #vintage #kitchenalia #supperclubrefurb #london #lincrustawallpaper
Another #fbmarketplace find £30. I can’t afford Another #fbmarketplace find £30. I can’t afford proper chinoiserie so I make do with fakes. The gradual doing up of my flat proceeds apace. Need to start on main bedroom. Looking for a storage ottoman (velvet?) bench to turn into a horizontal filing cabinet.  Any ideas? Above is a map of london based on the A to Z map which a minicab office was tossing out. Remember when we all carried mini A to Z books in our handbags? Before google maps? #nocrushedvelvet #chinoiserie #supperclubrefurb #londonapartment #londonflat #norfweezy #decor #organising #storage #interiors
My new/old rise and fall light over the dining tab My new/old rise and fall light over the dining table. Found for £50 on #fbmarketplace  but originally from @thefrenchhouse.net_ one of my favourite shops. Every day, a little more progress. #supperclubrefurb #supperclub #londonflat #interiors #lighting #riseandfalllights #lightingisimportant #frenchstyle #vintagestyle #rusticstyle #turquoise #diningtabledecor
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