Table for one: what top chefs cook when they’re home alone
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Version 0 of 1. Karam Sethi Cheese on toast is the ultimate comfort meal for one, plus it takes all of five minutes to put together. It’s what I always eat when I’m in a rush, don’t really want to cook, or just need a lift after a long day. Cheese on challah toast with green chilli and coriander The addition of chilli and coriander, and the use of challah, the Jewish braided bread, take the instant gratification levels up a notch or two. If you want to pull out all the stops, once your cheese on toast is cooked, top with a fried egg; or, even better, spread leftover keema (spiced minced lamb) on the toast before adding the cheese, chilli and coriander – now that’s really lush. Serves one. 1 tsp finely chopped green chilli (or more or less, depending on how hot you want it)1 tbsp picked coriander leaves, finely chopped 1 generous chunk good cheddar, grated (in my book, it has to be Isle of Mull)1 thick piece challah bread (or sourdough or good crusty bread), lightly toasted on both side Fried egg and/or keema (optional) In a bowl, mix the chilli, coriander and grated cheese, and spread over one side of the toast. Grill for two to three minutes – the bread should get a slight char at the edges – and serve piping hot. • Karam Sethi is chef/co-owner of Trishna and Gymkhana, both in London. Bruno Loubet My ideal Valentine’s meal for one is a cheese platter with crusty bread, a fruity chutney or a sharp mostarda, and a cold bottle of Pouilly-Fumé. Well, of course it is – I’m French. Come to think of it, cheese is my ideal meal for one, full stop. There’s no need to go overboard with your choice of cheeses: just make sure you have a hard cheese, a blue cheese and a goats’ cheese, and you’re all set. For me, that means a comté, a roquefort and Brock Hall Farm’s Dutch Mistress, a real personal favourite. Mostarda di frutta is great with cheese, but it’s expensive to buy, so a few years ago I decided to see if I could come up with my own version – the perfect piquant treat for cheese. While cheese is my default meal for breakfast, lunch, dinner or any time in between, I have to admit I’ve also got a bit of a soft spot for peanut M&Ms: they’re an irresistible combination of chocolate, crunch and peanuts. Mustard apricots Even a jar of average mostarda will set you back £6 or more. Here’s a homemade version at a fraction of the cost. It’s also dead easy. Makes 800g, or enough for two jars. 300ml white-wine vinegar200g caster sugar½ cinnamon stick2 tbsp English mustard powder2 drops almond essence500g dried apricots In a medium saucepan, bring the vinegar, sugar and cinnamon to a boil, leave to bubble for 30 seconds, then whisk in the mustard powder and almond essence. Add the dried apricots, lower the heat to a gentle simmer, cover with a lid and leave to cook for an hour – the liquid will reduce and go syrupy. Remove from the heat, then pour into hot sterilised jars. Seal and set aside to cool. Once cool, store in the fridge and use with a month. • Bruno Loubet is chef/patron of Grain Store, London N1, and Bistro Bruno Loubet, London EC1. His book, Mange Tout, is published by Ebury at £25. To order a copy for £20, go to bookshop.theguardian.com Jasmine Hemsley, Hemsley + Hemsley My sister Melissa’s go-to dish is a bowl of broth with miso, ginger, greens and fresh chilli, plus an egg dropped in at the last second to poach (we both always keep a jug of bone broth in the fridge, and more in the freezer, just in case). When I’m feeding just myself, it’s eggs any way or leftover roast veg, all topped off with kimchi and extra-virgin olive oil. If I was treating myself, though, it would have to be fish amok. I came across it on holiday in Cambodia last year, and loved the fresh flavours, the mild spicing and the creamy comfort so much, I ordered it for breakfast, lunch or dinner every day. Melissa’s more a steak and chips kind of girl, though she’d jazz it up by serving it with a bone marrow butter. Fish amok There will be quite a bit more spice paste than you need for this dish, but it freezes very well and is handy to have around; that said, if you’re anything like me, you’ll use it all up by making this mild fish curry three days on the spin. Serve with steamed broccoli or sautéed pak choi. Serves one. 100-150g sustainable firm white fish fillet (such as pollock), skinned and pinboned (go to msc.org for a list of sustainable fish in season)Sea salt and black pepper1 tsp coconut oil (or ghee)200ml full-fat coconut milk1 handful coriander, Thai basil, basil or mint leaves (or a mix), chopped For the spice paste (aka yellow kroeung)40g lemongrass (4 or so sticks), outer leaves discarded, roughly chopped2 cloves garlic, peeled3 shallots, peeled and chopped2 kaffir lime leaves (or 1 tsp lime juice plus ½ tsp zest)½ tsp galangal, peeled and sliced very thin (or ¾ tsp fresh ginger)1 tsp fresh turmeric, peeled (or ½ tsp powder)½ tbsp fish sauce (or tamari)¼ tsp palm or coconut sugar (or maple syrup)Chilli flakes or fresh chilli, to taste Blend the paste ingredients until smooth (or pound in a pestle and mortar, for a more authentic approach). Depending on the strength of your blender, you may need to pulse it a few times to get the desired consistency. Cut the fish into 2cm x 2cm dice and sprinkle with a little salt and pepper. Heat the oil in a medium saucepan over a medium flame, add a third to half of the paste mix and fry for 30 seconds, stirring to prevent it catching. Pour in the coconut milk, stir to combine, bring to a simmer and leave to bubble away for 10 minutes. Add the fish, cover and poach gently for about four minutes, until cooked. Sprinkle most of the herbs into a deep bowl, then ladle on the pieces of fish and sauce. Garnish with the remaining herbs and serve. • The Art Of Eating Well, by Jasmine and Melissa Hemsley, is published by Ebury at £25. To order a copy for £20, go to bookshop.theguardian.com Tom Kerridge Deep down, I’m a man of pretty simple tastes, so my idea of the perfect meal for one would have to be eggy. Quite apart from being delicious, there’s something just so soothing and satisfying about an omelette. The only thing that could improve it is a bit of pork and cheese; mind you, just about everything is improved by adding pork and cheese to it. My more usual solo meal also features pork: I’ve been known to come home from work, fry up a packet of bangers, smear them with lots of English mustard (and I mean lots) and devour, before heading to the fridge in search of some cold grapes for pudding. Spicy chorizo and chilli omelette Get the best chorizo you can afford for this – it makes a hell of a difference. If spicy isn’t your bag, take the seeds out of the chilli, but I like it hot. Serves one. 2-3 tbsp vegetable or olive oil 100g chorizo, cut into 2cm dice 3 eggs, whiskedSalt and freshly ground black pepper½ garlic clove, peeled and grated ½ tbsp flat-leaf parsley leaves, chopped¼ green chilli, thinly sliced, seeds and all75g manchego, crumbled (or a good cheddar)The zest of ¼ lemon, to finish Heat the oven to 180C/350F/gas mark 4. Warm a 16cm nonstick ovenproof frying pan over a medium heat, then add the oil. Once hot, fry the chorizo until it starts to release that lovely, smoky, red paprika oil; if there’s a lot of fat, drain some of it off (don’t throw it away, though – it’s great for frying spuds) and turn the heat to low. Season the eggs, then pour into the pan. Add the garlic and half the parsley and chilli, and stir gently until the eggs begin to firm up. Scatter the cheese over the top, then transfer the pan to the oven to finish off cooking for four to five minutes, until the eggs are set and the cheese melted. Remove, sprinkle over the remaining chilli and parsley, and turn out on to a plate. Finish by grating lemon zest on top, and tuck in. • Tom Kerridge is chef/patron of The Hand and Flowers and The Coach, both in Marlow, Buckinghamshire. Angela Hartnett When I’m after a quick bite, it’s invariably canned tuna on toast with Heinz mayo, but for a treat I honestly can’t think of anything I’d rather eat than scrambled eggs on toast. That might seem an odd choice for my ultimate solo dining experience, but I’m not talking the rubbery stuff you get at motorway service stations, rather a soft tumble of rich, creamy, golden goodness. As with all cooking, even with something so apparently simple, really good scrambled eggs take a bit of time and effort. And when white truffles are in season, I’d up the ante and shave a generous dose on top. Sadly I’ve now got to wait all the way until next October for that. Scrambled eggs and soldiers We’re talking solo luxury here, so long, slow cooking is the key, rather than a jug of eggs nuked in the microwave. And by “soldiers”, I don’t mean plastic white sliced, but sourdough toast, generously spread with cold, unsalted butter and cut into batons. Serves one. 1 knob of butter2-3 free-range eggs (I’d go for Clarence Court’s Burford Browns – they have gloriously golden yolks)Sea salt and freshly ground black or white pepper1 slice sourdough, toastedWhite truffle, for shaving (when in season) Over a very low heat, melt the butter in a heavy-based pan (some chef friends even advocate making scrambled eggs in a heatproof bowl over a bain-marie, so give that a go if the fancy takes you). The crucial factor here is that the pan and butter must not be so hot that the eggs start setting the moment you put them in – long, slow and gentle cooking is the order of the day here. Crack in the eggs, and leave for a couple of minutes, until they start to set slightly. Break up and scramble gently with a wooden spoon – not too much, mind. With the heat still very low, cook your eggs, stirring regularly, for 15-20 minutes at least, until you have soft clouds of fluffy, just-cooked egg. Season to taste, tip on to a warm plate alongside your buttered soldiers, shave some truffle on top and dive in. Unbeatable. • Angela Hartnett is chef/patron of Merchants Tavern, Cafe Murano and Murano, all in London. Skye Gyngell If I get home late, or if I’m home alone at the weekend, I often find myself reaching for a little bowl of ice-cream. Winter or summer, it is, for me, the perfect snack: refreshing and comforting all at the same time. Chocolate is one of my favourite things in the world, and in ice-cream form it is, if anything, even more of an indulgence; exactly how you want to feel when in search of a tasty morsel. This recipe is quick to knock together and keeps well in the freezer, for those moments when you are home alone and craving something sweet. Rich chocolate ice-cream It’s not really worth making ice-cream in smaller quantities than this, plus homemade ice-cream is at its best for only a couple of days. But the upside is that this means you can treat yourself two or three days in a row. Makes two to three single servings (depending on how greedy you are). 75ml whole milk175ml double cream½ vanilla pod, split in half lengthways30g good-quality dark chocolate3 free-range organic egg yolks60g caster sugar1 tbsp unsweetened cocoa powder Pour the milk and cream into a heavy-based saucepan, add the split vanilla pod, place over a medium heat and bring to a boil. Chop the chocolate into rough chunks, add to the hot, creamy milk and stir once or twice, to encourage it to melt. While the chocolate is melting, beat together the egg yolks and sugar for a minute or two, until thick and pale. Sift the cocoa powder over the surface and stir to combine. Pour in the hot cream, whisking as you do so, then pour everything back into the pan. Turn the heat to very low and stir, using a figure-of-eight motion, until the custard thickens – this will take eight to 10 minutes. Be patient: rushing the process by turning up the heat will cause the custard to curdle. As soon as the custard is thick enough to coat the back of a spoon, remove from the heat and strain through a fine sieve into a bowl. Leave to cool completely, then pour the custard into an ice-cream maker and churn until thickened, then pour into a suitable container, cover and freeze; the ice-cream will be ready in a couple of hours. If you don’t have an ice-cream machine, pour the mix into a freezer-proof container, freeze for an hour, until the sides start to get solid. Stir with a fork, mixing the frozen sides into the liquid centre, and return to the freezer for another hour. Repeat twice more, then leave to set solid. • Skye Gyngell is chef/patron of Spring, London WC2. Marcus Wareing I’m usually tasting food on and off all day, so I often get home at night without having had anything resembling a proper meal. My idea of a solo treat then is a few Jaffa cakes (OK, half a packet) and a strong cup of tea. In summer, I’m also very partial to sliced super-ripe tomatoes on buttered sourdough toast and topped with good olive oil, salt and pepper. If I were to pick my favourite meal for one, though, it would have to be steak and chips. Steak, peppercorn sauce, chips and Caesar salad Choose whichever cut you like – rump, sirloin, fillet, onglet – but for me it has to be ribeye, cooked rare. Life’s too short to make chips for one, so use decent oven chips instead – I like Marks & Spencer’s hand-cut ones; or, if you’ve got a good one nearby, pop down the chippy for a takeaway portion. A Caesar salad is essential, too, as far as I’m concerned. Serves one. 200g ribeye steak (bone off)25ml olive oil1 small sprig fresh thyme1 small sprig fresh rosemary1 clove garlic, peeled and crushed1 bay leaf25g unsalted butter, cut into cubes½ tsp table salt2 large tbsp duck fat For the sauce15g unsalted butter2 shallots, peeled and finely chopped2 sprigs thyme, leaves picked½ tsp Maldon salt and freshly milled black pepper2 tsp French mustard1 tsp grain mustard50ml brandy25ml ruby port50ml red wine100g crème fraîche1 tsp brined green peppercorns, roughly chopped For the Caesar salad1 egg yolk1 tsp Dijon mustard100ml vegetable oil1 tbsp chardonnay vinegar½ clove garlic, peeled and crushedA splash of fish sauce10g parmesan, finely grated 1 baby gem, leaves washed and dried20g parmesan, finely shaved1 slice good bread, cubed and fried in butter to make croutons2 anchovies For the sauce, melt the butter in a frying pan, add the shallots, thyme, salt and pepper, and cook until the onions are soft but not coloured. Stir in the mustards, then deglaze with the brandy and simmer to reduce to a syrup. Add the port and wine, reduce down to a syrup again. Stir in the crème fraîche and peppercorns, adjust the seasoning and set aside somewhere warm. For the chips, set the oven to 220C/425F/gas mark 7, and heat the duck fat in a roasting pan. Once it’s smoking hot, carefully add the chips and roast until golden and crisp – about 20 minutes (check the packet). Meanwhile, make the mayonnaise for the salad. Whisk the egg yolk with the mustard until fluffy. Slowly whisk in half the oil bit by bit, then add the vinegar and garlic. Now gradually incorporate the remaining oil and, once it’s all emulsified, stir in the fish sauce and parmesan, and adjust the seasoning to taste (you’re unlikely to need much, if any salt, because the fish sauce and parmesan are already salty, as is the anchovy you’ll be adding later). If the dressing is too thick for your liking, loosen with a little cold water. Just before you cook your steak, put the lettuce in a bowl and dress with the mayonnaise. Toss through the anchovies, parmesan and croutons, add a good few twists of black pepper and put on the table. To cook the steak, heat the oil in a frying pan. When smoking, season the ribeye on both sides and sear all over. Add the butter a cube at a time, until melted and foaming, then add the herbs and garlic. Baste the steak in butter until it’s done to your liking – for rare, about four minutes in all – then remove from the pan and set aside to rest for five minutes. Serve topped with the warm sauce, and with the chips and salad alongside. • Marcus Wareing is chef/patron of Tredwell’s, Marcus and The Gilbert Scott, all in London. |