Darina Allen: My version of Dishoom's famous bacon naan bread is the perfect brunch
Dishoom's bacon naan is famous and for good reason.
Just had a ‘delicious’ long weekend in London. I'd forgotten how much I missed London and how much fun and excitement one can cram into a few days in one of the most exciting and innovative food cities in the world. And not just food: we also got to the Francis Bacon exhibition at the Royal Academy of Art, a must-see for those of you who, like me, were tormented and baffled by Bacon’s work heretofore.
By the way, Bacon was Irish — and thanks to Barbara Dawson, his studio is now on display in the Hugh Lane Gallery in Dublin. We were so longing for an injection of culture so we popped into many galleries and exhibitions. Unfortunately, time ran out so we didn't make it to the revamped Courtauld Institute of Art to see the Van Gough Exhibition — it's on until May 8 so hopefully next time. But we did manage to get tickets to the glorious Theodore production at The Royal Opera House, much of which was set in a kitchen, four glorious hours with some of the best voices in the world — DiDonato, Orlinski, Julia Bullock.
Too late for dinner that night but we did have a super tasty tapas lunch at the new José Pizarro restaurant in the Royal Academy of Art after the Bacon Exhibition — definitely worth seeking out.
The Thursday evening flight from Cork Airport. (Am I biased or is it the friendliest little airport in the world?) brought us into London in time to have dinner at Quo Vadis on Dean Street, I love Jeremy Lee's food and there's no deafening music in the dining room. Right next door is Barrafina, another of my favourite restaurants, and it is a must if you don't mind queuing.
I love to wander through a Farmers Market on Saturday mornings.
You could and should visit Borough Market, particularly if you haven't been before, but I headed for Maltby Street Market under the railway arches and made my way through the little passages to Spa Terminus to find some of the very best ingredients in London.
Then into a cab over to Brawn in Shoreditch, located at the end of Columbia Rd for a superb lunch (and I don't use that word lightly) lunch. Wesley, the maître d' of 7 years is from Cork so we got a warm Cork welcome.
Oren in Dalston is one of the names on all 'foodies' top recommendations at present: a wide Mediterranean menu and ear-splitting music but many delicious middle-eastern influences. Put Dishoom on your list too. We went to the Derry Street location in Kensington, an art deco Mecca. There are many, many good things on the menu but don't miss the iconic Bacon Naan, reminiscent of the Iranian cafés in Mumbai, street food at its irresistible best.
We had lunch at Café Cecilia, Max Rocha’s hopping new restaurant in Hackney, just across the road from Regent's Canal. It and Fallow on 2 St. James's Market where we had dinner are the hottest tickets in town and it certainly didn't disappoint. I particularly loved the calcots with romesco and the deep-fried bread and butter pudding.
I haven't even mentioned the shops but this is a food column. Fortum and Mason is just opposite the Royal Academy of Art so worth wandering into — just saying!
If you are in Kensington High St, check out Sally Clarke’s lovely restaurant and food shop. Café Deco is definitely on the list for my next trip.
Dishoom bacon naan
The Naan breakfast roll from Dishoom in London is justifiably famous, this is my interpretation.
Servings
1Cooking Time
10 minsTotal Time
10 minsCourse
MainIngredients
1 naan bread
2-3 smoked streaky bacon rashers
cream cheese
salt and freshly ground black pepper
a few sprigs of fresh coriander
To serve:
Tomato and chilli Jam
Method
- Fry the bacon until golden and pop on some kitchen paper to absorb any excess fat.
Warm the naan on a dry pan.
Slather the surface of the warm naan with cream cheese, season with salt and freshly ground black pepper. Lay the slices of bacon side by side on one half. Add a couple of coriander sprigs. Fold over. Cut in half crossways. Serve on a warm plate with a little bowl of tomato and chilli jam.
Alternatively, drizzle the tomato and chilli jam generously over the bacon before folding the naan.
Cauliflower fritters with aioli
These are addictive and make a delicious nibble, a starter or a side. Florets of Romanesco, calabrese or broccoli also work well here. A plain flour batter with a sprinkle of chilli flakes would be delicious too.
Servings
4Preparation Time
10 minsCooking Time
20 minsTotal Time
30 minsCourse
SideIngredients
For the batter:
225g (8oz) gram flour (chickpea) or besan
½ tsp chilli powder
1 tsp turmeric powder
1 tsp cumin seeds
1 tsp salt
300ml (10fl oz) water
olive oil for deep-frying
For the aioli:
225ml (8fl oz) homemade mayonnaise
1-3 cloves of garlic, depending on size
2 teaspoons chopped parsley
Method
Trim the cauliflower florets if necessary. Blanch in boiling salted water for 1-2 minutes, drain well and refresh.
Sift the flour into a bowl. Add the chilli, turmeric and freshly roasted cumin seeds and a half teaspoon of salt. Whisk in enough water to make a batter with a light coating consistency.
Heat the oil in a deep-fry (180°C).
Dip one floret into the batter, shake off excess and cook in the hot oil until crisp and golden. Taste, add more seasoning or spice to the batter if necessary. Cook the rest.
Drain on kitchen paper and serve each portion with a little bowl of aioli.
To make the aioli, crush the garlic and add to the egg yolks just as you start to make the mayonnaise. Finally add the chopped parsley and taste for seasoning.
Easter is just on the horizon and what better than to get the family together to recover from too much chocolate with a delicious spring meal. Easter lamb, rhubarb chevron tart and hot cross buns are all on the menu. Join us for the afternoon demonstration and be inspired to create your own Easter feast.
cookingisfun.ie
Ballyvolane House has just launched Bertha’s Revenge Crab Apple Gin to add to their repertoire of gins. Made from crab apples, jaggery cane sugar, local honey, whey alcohol (derived from milk produced by dairy farmers in Co. Cork) and a selection of spices — enjoy on its own or as a base for a warming cocktail.
ballyvolanespirits.ie
Blasta Books: Tacos
Tacos is the first book in the new Blasta Books series and the first cookbook to be published in Ireland by a Mexican-Irish writer. Lily Ramirez-Foran has spent years sharing how fun, vibrant and convivial Mexican food is and how easy it is to make at home, and what better way to do that than with tacos? These are the authentic flavours of Mexico, from real corn tortillas to smoky chillies, matched with the best Irish produce. There is something for everyone here — whether you’re a carnivore, vegetarian or vegan, you’ll love this little book.
@blastabooks on Instagram
