Courgette, Potato and Parmesan Pancakes

Things I learned at New Years: 

A. Don't put on red lipstick while drinking and without a mirror. Its a classy look but only when the lipstick is actually on your lips and not the surrounding area. 

B. Don't let yourself be filmed while dancing to Gangnam Style however hilarious the idea may seem at the time. You are not a dancer nor can you ride a horse. Both of these facts thereby disqualify you from conducting yourself with dignity. 

In other news Happy New Year!! I'm trying to get more veggies in my diet and these 'pancakes' (or I would probably call them rostis) are perfect for a tasty lunch or with a salad a light dinner. 

Slightly Adapted from Joy the Baker cookbook 

1/4 cup finely diced white onion 

1 garlic clove finely chopped 

2 cups grated courgette 

2 cups grated potato

small handful of parmesan cheese grated

1/2 teaspoon of salt 

2 large eggs 

1/3 cup flour 

1/2 tsp baking powder 

1. Saute onions gently over medium heat. Add the garlic when the onions are translucent. Shred potatoes and courgette with a box grater or a julienne (a grater like instrument that cuts veg into thin matchsticks, very handy if you make potato chips regularly or potato gratin). 

2. Season and then add the egg and parmesan. Mix until combined. Then finally fold in the flour and baking powder. 

3. Heat a frying pan with another tablespoon of oil. Shape into patties or use culinary rings/biscut cutters if you have then. No worries if you don't, just make sure that the pan is pretty hot before you put the pancakes on so that they hold their shape and don't fall apart. If unsure try flicking some batter on the pan. If it sizzles the pan is hot enough.

3. Fry on both sides until golden brown- about 3 minutes on each side. Serve with creme fraiche and grated parmesan (if your trying to be fancy).

MacNean Restaurant

There are a few people who have shaped my relationship with food and the Irish chef Neven Maguire is one of them. In my teens I got one of his cookery books for Christmas and now have an almost complete collection (I had an ogle at the new book, it looks fabulous, the photography is to die for). I really couldn't recommend them enough. I've never made one thing that didn't work or that didn't taste beautiful. There is a great selection of good family food, push-the-boat-out-and-be-a-show-off-dinners and classic desserts.  

I have been at Neven's MacNean restaurant twice before but it was a few years ago and I was so excited to go back again. Going to a good restaurant is an adventure down the rabbit hole and back again; being wow-ed by presentation, tasting a combination of flavours and textures you wouldn't put together yourself, deliberating on the menu like it was a life and death decision. Here are some of my favourite pictures.

Pre-starter of Sweet Potato and Coconut Soup with a Selection of Breads 

Mango and Ginger Jelly

Trout with Pak Choi and Lobster Ravioli 

Trio of Pork- Belly, Fillet and Cheek

Lemon Tart 

Chocolate Delice, Parfait, Malteaser Ice-Cream and Chocolate Opera Cake

Sticky Toffee Pudding with Malteaser Ice-Cream

Petit Fours

Red Cooked Chicken

Warning! This does not photograph well!! In fact it looks.... brown and not so delicious. But it is! The chicken is 'red' because it is poached in a lovely soy sauce mix which tints the chicken. I served this with noodles but you could also serve it with boiled rice. I added some of the cooking liquid to the noodles which flavours them nicely. I also drained the liquid when the chicken was cooked, added water and then cornflour to thicken to a sauce. Dunno if that's exactly great food safety but nine hours later and I feel fine and I couldn't let all those lovely flavours go to waste!!

This would be perfect for a nice quick dinner. You could make the soy sauce mix and marinate in the fridge then come home from work, stick on the chicken and noodles and serve within 30 minutes.

For the poaching liquid
100ml dry sherry or Chinese rice wine
200ml dark soy sauce
1 star anise
3 garlic cloves roughly chopped
1 thumb sized piece of ginger
1 tbsp brown sugar or honey

4 chicken breasts/chicken thighs
Noodles to serve 4 as per packet instructions.

Mix together all the ingredients for the poaching liquid in a pan big enough to hold the chicken pieces in one layer. You will strain the liquid to make the sauce later so don't worry about big pieces of ginger and garlic, they will infuse the chicken as they cook.

Add the chicken and enough water to cover the chicken. Bring to a boil and then simmer for 30 minutes.

To cook the noodles, place in a pan and top with boiling water. Add 4 tbsp of the liquid from the chicken and boil until soft.

To make the sauce take another four tablespoons of the liquid from the chicken and place in a small pan under a medium heat. Because we used dark soy sauce the liquid at this time is very sharp. Add the 4 tbsp of water. Mix a tbsp of cornflour with a little cold water (approx 2 tbsp) until smooth. Cornflour goes very gloopy when water is first added, so mix rigorously until smooth. Add to the liquid constantly whisking until slightly thickened. If you do not whisk the sauce, the cornflour will go lumpy so keep whisking for about 5 minutes.

Serve by draining the noodles and the chicken. Spoon over the sauce and top with fresh coriander for a bit of colour.