• Facebook
  • Instagram
  • Pinterest
  • Snapchat
  • Twitter
  • YouTube
  • Skip to primary navigation
  • Skip to main content
  • Skip to primary sidebar

MsMarmiteLover

  • Food
    • Recipes
    • Vegetarian
    • Vegan
  • Travel
    • France
    • Italy
    • Spain
    • UK
  • Wine
  • Gardens
  • Supperclubs
  • About
    • Press
    • Books
  • Shop
    • Cart

British Army catering, visiting 167 Catering corps in Grantham

September 21, 2018 1 Comment Filed Under: Food, Recipes, Travel, Vegetarian

“An army marches on its stomach”
Napoleon
167 catering corps, Prince William of Gloucester barracks pic: Kerstin Rodgers/msmarmitelover.com
167 catering corps, Prince William of Gloucester barracks pic: Kerstin Rodgers/msmarmitelover.com

The military is responsible for many advances in food technology: it was Napoleon that put out the call to invent a method of canning. French chef Alexis Soyer created the Soyer oven for British troops during the Victorian era, which lasted from the Crimean war until the Falklands war in the 1980s.

Soyer oven, Prince William of Gloucester barracks pic: Kerstin Rodgers/msmarmitelover.com

I spent 24 hours at the Prince William of Gloucester barracks near Grantham, Lincolnshire,  shown around by Warrant Officer I Sam Barton and Lieutenant Colonel Jane Cattermull.  This unit of Reserve chefs are the 167 Catering Support Regiment.

Lieutenant Colonel Jane Cattermull and WO1 Sam Barton, 167 catering corps, Prince William of Gloucester barracks pic: Kerstin Rodgers/msmarmitelover.com

There has been much change in the British military over the past few years. Government desire to reduce the defence budget, and public revulsion at casualties of warfare, most notably those arriving at Brize Norton, has led to streamlining. Since 2015, the regular army and the reserve army are being brought closer together, a project called Army 2020 Refine, which seeks to modernise army structure and of course, save money.

In terms of numbers, 78,000 soldier are regulars and 25,000 are reservists. Chefs are always needed: about a 1000 are regular, and 800 are reservists.

army oven, 167 catering corps, Prince William of Gloucester barracks pic: Kerstin Rodgers/msmarmitelover.com

I joined one of  167’s 16 day military catering courses, on the 13th day. I was shown around an OFCS, a field kitchen that will feed 40 people. It consists of 1 full size and a 1/2 size hot plate, a water boiler that can be used as a shallow fryer, and a couple of steel tables. There is an oven (in a kind of trunk). Above you can see the simple temperature dial which has a range of temperatures from cold to warm to hot to very hot.

‘We ask people to make sure the oven is between 10 o’clock and 2 o’clock’

The equivalent of between 180c and 200c.

Field mud oven, 167 catering corps, Prince William of Gloucester barracks pic: Kerstin Rodgers/msmarmitelover.com

The trainees had built stoves from metal dustbins, which they plastered with mud, making a tandoori style makeshift oven.

‘We’ve had filing cabinets used as well. They light a fire in the bottom drawer, then put the food in the upper drawers.’ said one soldier-chef.

‘Imagine you’ve lost your equipment.  Set ups like this were popular in Afghanistan.’ explained Sam.

An OFCS unit will be transported by an enormous truck weighing 6 tons or 9 tons. Each piece of equipment is incredibly heavy, from 50 to 88 kilos, from a ‘2 man carry’ to a ’16 man carry’. The soldiers still have to carry it from the truck to the field kitchen.

‘We just have to manage’ said one.

In a large base camp, they will have 1000 OFCS units to cater for the troops.

lunch, 167 catering corps, Prince William of Gloucester barracks pic: Kerstin Rodgers/msmarmitelover.com

Today’s menu was chicken, ham and egg, braised rice, onion bhajis and vegetable curry in cabbage parcels. There is always a vegetarian option. I was invited to share lunch with the soldiers in the field tent. Plates are throwaway paper, and cutlery is plastic.

‘We used to have billy cans and metal cutlery. But billy cans add to the weight of your backpack and clatter around. Today billy cans and metal cutlery aren’t considered hygienic enough for the modern soldier. Sometimes you have no water to clean them’

I was instructed to wash my hands before eating. Hygiene is incredibly important as is food safety. The last thing you want, I imagine, is a regiment of food poisoned soldiers in battle. However when looking at the ration packs, it was explained that much of the food is designed to ‘bung you up’.

‘In Jordan, when they built the dining room out there, it wasn’t to British standards, the sewage pipe spewed into the dining room. It stunk. Soldiers had to eat out of foil packets for several days.’

ration pack, 167 catering corps, Prince William of Gloucester barracks pic: Kerstin Rodgers/msmarmitelover.com

Ration boxes are usually for 10 men for 24 hours: breakfast, dinner, snacks and drinks. The box costs £35, therefore each soldier costs £3.50p per person per 24 hours. Each portion for an individual meal is about 300g. Sixty per cent of the budget is for the ration pack, and 40% is for supplements, such as bread or fruit from the local area.

‘If we have people who have special dietary needs, we’ll have a supplement to buy special ingredients for them, say gluten-free flour.’

‘Each ration pack is calculated in terms of nutritional value for soldiers. ‘

I suppose soldiers need more protein, a different requirement from civilians, as they are using up a lot of energy? 

‘Usually they have 3.5k to 4k calories for operations. They need dense protein and carbs. These rations are designed to give you 3k calories per man.’

‘Marines need more calories, because of their activities, being at sea. Those who run the guns, they burn up loads. And they eat more fish’.

And the RAF?

‘Raf get luxury hotels. They are a little bit pampered, compared to the rest of the army where they just have to dig a hole and live in a trench. But they have a longer career. We have a shorter career.’

Do you have a problem with soldiers becoming overweight or are they so active that doesn’t happen?

‘At home bases, a lot of the barracks, contractors provide the feeding, so there are more fast food options and retail options which are more expensive.
Up until 10 years ago, soldiers meals and accommodation came directly out of their pay.
That money would come to the army. Now the soldiers do pay as you go- there is a till at the end of the hot plate.’

‘Today we’ve less control over the diets of soldiers, so there are overweight soldiers. Fitness is an issue.’

I’m later told that in barracks they must work out at least three times a week.

‘We have to educate soldiers on nutritional and healthy eating.
A lot of garrisons have fast food areas, McDonalds etc. ‘

chocolate biscuit from ration pack, 167 catering corps, Prince William of Gloucester barracks pic: Kerstin Rodgers/msmarmitelover.com

I taste the chocolate biscuits. They are very dense but aren’t bad at all.

‘They don’t melt. You can’t take chocolate to the Middle East.’

tins, army ration pack, 167 catering corps, Prince William of Gloucester barracks pic: Kerstin Rodgers/msmarmitelover.com

In fact much of the food is in tins. A ration box last up to three years. Margarine replaces butter, as it lasts longer in a hot climate. Cheese comes in a tin, it’s so compact that it needs to be warmed and diluted to be used as a cheese sauce.

‘Tea is essential.’

Are you finding with younger soldiers they aren’t drinking tea anymore?

‘Yes they are. You’ve got coffee there as well. But you’ve got 40 tea bags and 10 men…. so you use each one more than once, otherwise you only get 4 cups of tea in 24 hours.’

‘Every squaddie they get one slice each of spam. You want to get 10 slices out of the 2 tins. We use the oil from the tins for frying.’

Everything is in really strong packaging!

‘It has to be, if you are dropping it from a helicopter. In Northern Ireland, you could never land a helicopter, cos the IRA would get you, so they’d just hover over the camp and drop it.’

‘There are hi-energy drinks, with electrolytes. Porridge oats is still so popular, it’s come back.  over the last 10 years its suddenly taken off again. Squaddies are really into porridge.’

I’m shown a meal plan:

‘This is a typical menu. a guideline what you can produce. this is menu A. that’s what you get in that box and then what you can make. These are the different menus… five boxes.
‘There are a lot of innovative ideas that people come up with, that’s why we have annual competitions, such as Army sustainer. The chefs will be given mystery ration boxes. They have 2 and a half hours from breaking soil to make an oven to coming up with a meal. They have to forage food, use pigeons, whole salmons. they have to produce 20 portions and 2 courses.  It takes place on May 18th next year’.

Women soldiers have exactly the same rations? 

‘They do the same work. They are soldiers. Women soldiers carry the same weight – 50 kilos.’

You can carry 50 kilos?

‘Yeah. I can carry 200’, replies Sam nonchalantly.

In that programme ‘Our Girl’, do you think she’s carrying that?
A chorus of laughs and disapproval:

‘That’s rubbish.’
‘I think her pack is full of make-up.’
‘Who ever wrote that programme needs a kick in the…’

Could that programme attract some girls? or boys who might think that they’ll meet women who look like that?

‘It gives a wrong impression.’ They shake their heads.

‘The first series wasn’t bad, but after that… she’s wearing false eyelashes!’

In ‘Our girl’, men and women sleep in the same barracks. Is that real?

‘Yeah. We are sleeping in this catering tent tonight, mixed sleeping.’

‘It’s about the only accurate thing. you just muck in.’

‘I think that’s something quite unique with the chefs department.’ explains Sam.’ We are all so close, males and females.’

Vegetarian ration pack, 167 catering corps, Prince William of Gloucester barracks pic: Kerstin Rodgers/msmarmitelover.com

I have a look at the ration pack labelled V, for vegetarian. I see there is hazelnut spread, hot sauce, cheddar cheese spread, fruit purees, boiled sweets, chewing gum. There are also diabetic packs, kosher ‘it’s clean’, and Hindu for Gurkhas and Sikhs.

‘There is like a feedback sheet. They are constantly developing these packs.’

And if you were vegan?

‘No there’s not a vegan one yet. it’s something they are looking into.’

Have you ever met vegan soldiers?

‘Yes, two courses ago. A male. We had a woman who was an absolute vegan, she produced amazing food for vegans. A good little chef with lots of patience.’

‘Sometimes they are on a fad- two weeks later you see them eat chicken.’ remarked another soldier.

In each pack there are napkins.

‘For personal hygiene.’

‘Toilet roll.’

‘It’s either that or a leaf.’

‘As we said, some of these foods are designed to clog you up. They’ll bung you up for 24 hours. There is a biscuit called biscuit browns, you’d eat them and they’d just clog you up.’

‘People don’t think about these things. We’ve got to think about dietary fibre. If you haven’t gone for 48 hours, you are gonna know about it when you go.’

‘If you are in battle, your body shuts down to a certain degree…’

I’d think you’d literally shit yourself.

‘People don’t talk about it but it has to be considered, it’s not something we talk about with the soldiers during training.’

I imagine that moment when you are pushed out of the tank, or helicopter, it must be…woah

‘That’s why you are trained…’

Can you ever get used to that?

‘That training kicks in. You don’t even think about being scared, you just react. Most of us have a physical reaction. Fight or flight mode. And there’s nowhere to flight to.’

If you were now in Afghanistan you would take enough rations for the days the mission will last?

‘Normally 48 hours worth. If you are going out on a mission into Afghanistan, you get 12 hour ration pack of grab and go self- heating foil packets.’

167 catering corps, Prince William of Gloucester barracks pic: Kerstin Rodgers/msmarmitelover.com

Food is a way of creating bonds…

‘When I was in Afghanistan, we were attached to the Afghan unit, we used to eat with them. They’d make their meals, they’d sit on the floor, and they’d invite us. We’d sit down with our guns on our back. We did that twice a week and we’d invite them back. Catering is very social.’

Working in all these countries, you also find out about their food?

‘Yes and we work with the French, the Americans, the Danish…’

Are the French army cooks very good?

‘They’ve got a bigger budget than us but they are very ‘take it or leave it’, there is no choice.
The French attachment are used to having wine in their rations. They weren’t impressed with our meals, they normally have five courses.
With the Americans, we’ve used their kitchens, it’s a completely different set up:  they have 2 meals a day, they don’t make stuff from scratch, meals are bought in and heated up. Americans used a system, where they all had the same meal, all around the world.’

the steam bath, 167 catering corps, Prince William of Gloucester barracks pic: Kerstin Rodgers/msmarmitelover.com

On recruitment:

‘At the moment we are low in numbers. There hasn’t been a war for a few years.
Wars keep people in the army. When a war is going on people are more motivated.’

‘Otherwise people leave. For younger soldiers, if nothing is going on, they leave.’

‘If you are in a barracks, you are training for deployment.’

‘You’ve got this standing army who are quite pleased when they are sent off.’

‘I want to go out, I don’t want to be in camp.’

How many months can you stand in camp?

He shrugged.

At the barracks and in many places today, civilian contractors provide the catering. Military chefs are only used on deployment in the field.

Does a chef in the army still have to train as a soldier?

‘Definitely.’

Are you in danger?

‘Yes. Chefs deploy forward with the troops. We have chefs going out on patrol with the soldiers.’

You have to carry a gun… and a cooking pot.

‘If you are deployed in tactical situations, chefs have a gun. In one situation, I had to cook in full body armour.’

You are joking.

‘Yeah… and there was mortar fire.’
‘We have secondary duties, you may go out on patrol, you might be on guard, you might be doing Sangar– watch tower duty. I’ll do triage as a medic too.’

How many are cooks in real life? Have they thought of this path before they’ve joined up?

‘In 167 regiment about 20% are already chefs.’

One Scottish soldier said: ‘I used to work a 4 star fish restaurant, I worked there for 5 years. One day I finished an early shift, seen one of my friends in the street, said he was going to an army recruitment office and asked if I wanted to accompany him. I got talked into it. They talked me into it. They said I ‘d be waking up every day with a bacon sandwich. ‘

Everybody laughs.

‘… and when they found out I was a chef anyway’

Many of the places you go to are very hot? Is it hard to function within a kitchen?

‘It’s hot and humid, but wherever you are deployed, say the Middle East, your body tends to adjust to it within about a week. You are on your feet constantly 16 hours a day.’
‘Three years ago I was in 45c heat for weeks. you just get used to it.’

I look at the training manual, the Reserve chefs army recipe book.

‘The book is given to all the classes and they take it with them. They can make their own notes.’

So they can tweak them. Four portions? Quite small recipes so they scale it up? 

‘Yes, that doesn’t work perfectly but it gives them an indication. We used to have a recipe book that went up to 1500 portions.’

Making pastry, 167 catering corps, Prince William of Gloucester barracks pic: Kerstin Rodgers/msmarmitelover.com

Seriously people are making their own puff pastry? In the field?

(Laughs) ‘They insist it’s learnt, it’s a skill. If you can make puff pastry, you can make rough puff, pies etc with the packet of flour in the ration pack. ‘

It’s interesting because a classical French kitchen is based on army hierarchy: yes chef, yes sir.

‘Yes it’s a brigade of chefs’

I continue to flick through.

I bet pizza goes well?

‘Yes, for today’s generation, and they want wraps.’

Get many requests for courgetti? I joke.

lunch in the mess tent, 167 catering corps, Prince William of Gloucester barracks pic: Kerstin Rodgers/msmarmitelover.com

Recruitment:

Why become an army chef? What are the advantages of working in the chefs corps?

‘The promotion rate is quite good. There is always perks, free food. The guys are getting smashed on patrols, but we have always got food and heating in cold climates.’

‘You get qualifications, nvq’s.’

‘ Everybody wants to be a chef’s best friend when we are on exercise.’

‘We are not as respected as we’d like to be in barracks but we are very popular when deployed.’

‘We’ve got the power to charge their phones’ grins one soldier.

‘Navy can’t recruit. It’s an issue across the whole of defence, especially chefs. It’ll get worse after Brexit.’

Why?

‘A lot of chefs are from overseas, they might leave. Also they’ll have the opportunity to get jobs outside.’

‘When there is unemployment it’s easier to recruit.’

‘There are lots of posts empty on civvy st.’

Why be an army chef rather than another trade? 

‘As regular chefs within the army, you are attached to different regiments for 3 or 4 years. But if you join a regiment as a soldier in the regular army, you stay with them for 22 years. As a chef, you get to see different parts of the army, they’ve all got different styles of what they expect to eat.’

If you join as a chef, can you then train in a different area?

‘Yes. I joined at 17, on a bit of a rogue path’ Sam smiles wryly,’ and the army gave me discipline. I’ve got a lot of transferable skills in our trade. I’ve got qualifications now. When you do come to the end of your career, you can train in whatever area you want. You can do resettlement courses.’

You’ve got 6 more years, any idea of what you want to do?

‘Not really. I’ll be 42 when I get out.’

You’ll still be quite young you can do another whole career.

‘As a corporal you are in charge of a kitchen. I’ve been out of the kitchens for half my career now. There is probably some skill fade. I don’t think I’d want to go back into the trade. I have more skills as a manager now. I think I’d go in a completely different direction. Maybe just be a mum for a bit. My daughter will be 8 when I leave.’

Why do you join the army?

Sam: ‘Everybody has got their own personal reasons. I left school at 16, no qualifications, I came from a bad area, no employment.
I wanted to be a soldier, I wanted to run around with a weapon. I saw the Falklands that interested me. I chose my trade. I did my training at the catering college at Aldershot, then the passion took hold for me.’

Is it good wages?

‘I enjoy the lifestyle, I enjoy moving around, housing is subsidised, your medical is subsidised. You’ve got a pension from the age of 40 or 42.’

You’ve got a partner and 2 kids, is he in the army?

‘Yes he was. That was another draw for me- my son’s in boarding school because I’m always moving around and the army pay 90% of that. There are a lot of perks but you spend a lot of time separate from your partner. You can put in preferences of where you’d like to be, and if anything is available you get that.’

How long have you been here?

‘Just over a year and in Catterick garrison in Yorkshire before that.’

So your partner has to move with you, and he had to find a job around here.

‘Yes. He works for open reach, not too hard. But for others it’s difficult.’

Another soldier joins in: ‘That’s what gets to me, the constant uprooting of the kids education. My kid was in Germany, then she had to change system to the Scottish system, then back to England. Very hard.’

Sam: ‘We put our son in boarding school at ten. We had no choice because by then he’d been in six schools. He had to keep changing friends.’

‘The best thing in the army, you’ve got that security. If you do fuck up you get a blocking, if you fuck up in civvy st you get sacked.’

‘Cheffing is an unsociable trade. You get paid extra in the army. In civvy st there is no incentive. It’s not compatible with family life. It’s a single man’s job, or single woman’s job.’

Reserve chef trainer, married 4 times, 167 catering corps, Prince William of Gloucester barracks pic: Kerstin Rodgers/msmarmitelover.com

Someone points to this soldier, teasing: ‘He’s on his 4th wife!’

Sam: ‘I was ok with my first husband, I served with him in the same regiment, But he’d go on tour, then I’d be posted. We saw each other every couple of months. You are expected to put the job first.
The teams with which you work, the experiences and the relationships, that’s where you get your satisfaction from, the camaraderie.’

What are your hours?

‘We wake at 5 am, wash, shower.
Prepare Breakfast for  7.30amDinner for 5.30pm.
In bed by 10pm.’

The trainee chefs work their way through each module: patisserie, butchery, six month turns. As soon as they get through the units, they can choose what they want to do.

If you had a vegetarian or vegan chef, and they were deployed, they’d have to cook meat as well?

‘Yes, they’d have to turn their hand to all of it. We had one who was crying when cutting up a lamb.’

‘When you are professionally trained, you’ve got to be professional.’

‘In civilian street, you can specialise. As an army chef, you’ve got to turn your hand to whatever.’

Food is so important for soldiers under stress, missing home.

WO1 Sam Barton, 167 catering corps, Prince William of Gloucester barracks pic: Kerstin Rodgers/msmarmitelover.com

There is quite a lot of jargon involved with any world, and the military world is no exception. The army is a microcosm of the real world. Virtually every part of the outside world has its equivalent in the military. Here is a lexicon (which I had to rapidly get my brain around in order to understand what people were saying).

The military is divided into army, navy and air force.

Reserve army: formerly known, prior to 2014, as the Territorial Army. Part-time soldiers. You must put in at least 19 days a year. You get training. Apparently you get loads of money for this, holiday pay, and a pension.
Regular army: full time soldier. When you leave the army, you are automatically a reservist for the first 5 years, meaning you can be called up at anytime.
Brigade: from 1000 to 5000 soldiers
Battalion: 800 soldiers
Royal Logistic Corps: provides all the support services, of which the Army Catering Corps is one element.
Civilian Street or civvy st: Civilian life.
Demobbed: short for ‘demobilisation’. Leaving the military.
Cavalry: soldiers on horses.
Infantry: troops on foot.
Officers: if you are clever you can become an officer. A non commissioned officer can rise through the ranks. But a commissioned officer will go to military college like Sandhurst after university and do a year training course. But only 10% are women.
Deployment: going on missions, often abroad.

We sustain, motto of the Army Logistic corps, 167 catering corps, Prince William of Gloucester barracks pic: Kerstin Rodgers/msmarmitelover.com

Recent posts

tofu pic: Kerstin rodgers/msmarmitelover.com

Tofu recipes for the unconvinced

January 10, 2021

Food and drink books 2020 pic: Kerstin rodgers/msmarmitelover.com

Pick of the food and garden books 2020

December 6, 2020

A Christmas shopping wish list

November 30, 2020

Previous Post: « The Allotment, winner of Best Vegetarian restaurant 2018
Next Post: The British Organic Carrot supper club »

Reader Interactions

Comments

  1. Colin

    March 30, 2020 at 7:29 pm

    Love the story, only a real soldiers can tell a real soliders stories. Not the Hollywood glamour you expect

    Reply

Leave a Reply Cancel reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

Recipe Rating




Primary Sidebar

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.

Subscribe to my mailing list

msmarmitelover

Kerstin Rodgers/MsMarmiteLover
On the heath on Sunday. Must. Walk. More. #coronal On the heath on Sunday. Must. Walk. More. #coronaloner
Tonight’s lockdown dinner with my bubble. Proper Tonight’s lockdown dinner with my bubble. Proper pesto alla genovese with trofie, small boiled salad potatoes, steamed green beans (good tip: steam the beans in a colander plopped on top of the potatoes or pasta), good quality pesto sauce ( mine from local microbakery @seansloaf ), good olive oil (@pomoragoodfood), torn fresh basil, a few pine nuts. This turns this student dish into a balanced meal of carbs, veg and a little protein.  It’s cold outside, I’ve lit the fire. Covid rages in Kilburn high road in north west london. The rate is 1 in 30 london wide but I feel it’s higher in this poor inner london area. We have a high BAME population who are particularly vulnerable. It’s a little bit anarchic on my high street: cars perched on kerbs waiting for hijabi women, braving pound shops and Aldi . We are all covered up now. In winter masks keep your face warm, but you have a choice between safety and being able to see. I’ve not managed to prevent the inevitable steaming up of my glasses when wearing a mask. Nothing works.  #january #londonwinter #pestopasta #pestoallagenovese #vegetarian #pasta #trofie #supperclub #covid_19 #lockdownlife #lockdown3 #bubblegang
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
Macaroni cheese with odds and sods from the Christ Macaroni cheese with odds and sods from the Christmas leftover cheese board. I’ve used @paxtonscheese truffled brillat-savarin and a mystery hard cheese that’s lost its label. Plus cream and topped it with samphire fried in butter. Haven’t bothered with making a roux- this is the lockdown lazy version.  #lockdownlazy #lockdown3 #supperclub #macandcheese #macaronicheese #truffledcheese #leftovers #leftovercheeseboard #londonlockdown #breakfast #coronaloner
Another thing the Japanese are brilliant at is san Another thing the Japanese are brilliant at is sandwiches. They use the softest, whitest, fluffiest bread. Their mayonnaise kewpie is gorgeous I don’t know why. Perhaps someone here can explain? Here I’ve used sourdough as it’s what I have; kosho which is a Yuzu citrus and green chilli condiment and the aforesaid kewpie Mayo to make an egg 🥚 sandwich.  I’m not a big egg fan but I suddenly had the urge. Also I’ve noticed when I eat eggs it satiates my hunger for hours. All that protein.  #sandwich #sandwiches #japanesesandwich #kewpiemayo #kosho #eggsandwich #sourdough #supperclub #cookingforone #solo #londonlife #lockdownlondon #recipe #snack #sundaysnack #sando
Agedashi tofu for New Year’s Day. With a vegan d Agedashi tofu for New Year’s Day. With a vegan dashi stock, it’s perfect for veganuary. How to make dashi: put a piece of kombu seaweed in water. Soak for half an hour then simmer for half an hour (don’t let it boil). Then mix 2 cups of dashi with 2 tbsps of mirin and 2 of soy sauce.  For the tofu: press soft tofu with weights for half an hour, then cut into cubes. Dust all over with cornflour.  Then deep fry the tofu cubes in 180C veg oil until they float. Set aside to drain, then place say 3 cubes in small bowl. Pour the sauce around and top with spring onion and daikon and togarashi 7 spice.  #easypeasyvegan #veganuary #agedashitofu #tofu #japaneseveganrecipe #newyearsday #freshstart #supperclub #londonsupperclub #msmarmitelover #visforvegan #recipe
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
Two vegetarian meal kits, laksa and ramen, from @k Two vegetarian meal kits, laksa and ramen, from @kit.eats.uk. Took only a couple of minutes to cook(see stories) and very good. I’m trying a few meal kits of late to see how hospitality has adapted to the great reset. As a cook I’ve always thought why would I need these but now I get it: it’s like going to a restaurant- the pleasure of food prepared by someone else. Getting jolted off of your normal repertoire, so it’s teaching cooking too.  #mealkits #vegetarian #homecooked #hospitality #covid #takeawayfood #foodpackaging #laksa #ramen #supperclubchef
Still working on my glass cupboard. I’ve hung up Still working on my glass cupboard. I’ve hung up all my wine bottle openers and cork screws. My favourite is the zigzag bottom left. If you find them at a flea market in France, if you are lucky you may get it for around 35 euros.  #supperclub #londonflat #londoninteriors #corkscrews #frenchkitchenalia #zigzag #tirebouchon #oakcupboard #diy #diyprojects
My best food, drink and cook books 2020. Winter Wa My best food, drink and cook books 2020. Winter Warmers by @ginandcrumpets; Cook, eat, repeat by @nigellalawson; Red Sands by @edentravels; Scoff by @penvogler; Sunmer Kitchens by @oliahercules; Oats in the North, Wheat in the South and The Downton Abbey Christmas Cookbook by @missfoodwise; Carpathia by @irina.r.georgescu; Jikoni by @cookinboots; Home Cookery Year by @5oclockapron; A Foodie Afloat by @dimurrell. All incredibly talented women, chefs, cooks, travellers, writers. Some are also artists and photographers and boozers. We have so much to be proud of in the UK food and drink scene. #womenwriters #cookbooks #foodbooks #lockdownwriters #puretalent #christmasbooks #christmasgifts #bookreviews #hamandhigh #msmarmiteloverblog #writing #cooking #travelling
Supper on Saturday night with my bubble. A b’sti Supper on Saturday night with my bubble. A b’stilla pie of potato, feta, pine nuts, sultanas soaked in sherry and ras el hanout. Butter or oil the dish, add 3 leaves of filo or brik, buttered in between. Tip in your filling. Fold up the sides. Brush on melted butter. Sprinkle poppy seeds. Cover with foil. Bake at 180c for half an hour, removing the foil for the last 10 minutes. Siege over some icing sugar with a tea strainer. Done and dusted(literally). #weekendsupper #b’stilla #bastilla  #pie #middleeasternfood #vegetarian #ovenready🔥 #supperclubchef #Novemberfood #lockdown2 #bubbledinner
Load More... Follow on Instagram

Archives

Copyright © 2021 msmarmitelover