Darina Allen: Ready for a taste of London’s delights and new food vibes

I hate banoffee pie with a passion, but everyone seemed to be raving about it, so my grandson ordered one as well as a huge choux bun oozing with chocolate mousse, whipped cream, and crunchy praline with a wafer of craquelin on top. Both were luscious and irresistible

It's over four months now since my knee replacement. Even though I’m still a bit ‘bockety’, I’m infinitely more mobile than previously so I’m up for little adventures. 

Recently, I flew to London to attend a ‘Last Supper’ gathering to remember Skye Gyngell, a dearly loved cook and friend who sadly passed away at just 62 years of age. 

She visited and taught at the Ballymaloe Cookery School several times and was such a joy and inspiration to all of us. As ever, I took the opportunity to catch up on excitements in the London food scene.

There have been many high-profile launches in recent months despite the deeply challenging trading climate and the many closures, mainly due to costs rising exponentially in every area. 

The Hart, a relatively recent opening on the gastropub scene, is still one of London’s most sought-after bookings. Think the Fat Badger, The Devonshire, The Pelican — lively cool crowds were happily queuing around the corner.

The vibe inside is less rowdy boozer, more vibey date spot: Super-cool interiors with wood panelling, cosy snugs and niches, some original stained glass panels, and flickering oil lamps. The restaurant, several flights above the busy bar, is a quieter, more relaxed, elegant space with flickering candles.

The menu is deceptively simple, but every bite had an extra ‘je ne sais quoi’. Simple-sounding crab cakes were crisp and packed with flavour, as was the pig’s head with a sauce gribiche and a chunky chicken and dumpling soup. How about that for comforting food on a winter’s evening? 

My grandson said his steak and smashed potatoes infused with garlic and rosemary was the very best he’d ever eaten. Don’t miss the mince roll; sounds dull and boring, definitely is not.

I hate banoffee pie with a passion, but everyone seemed to be raving about it, so my grandson ordered one as well as a huge choux bun oozing with chocolate mousse, whipped cream, and crunchy praline with a wafer of craquelin on top.

Both were luscious and irresistible. No surprise then that the banoffee pie is referred to as their standout dessert.

On the way to the new Padella in Shoreditch, we passed Legado, Nieves Barragan Mohacho’s new restaurant, so I decided to change my plan and have lunch there, much as I love Padella. It’s regional, ‘nose-to-tail’ eating from all four corners of Spain and features an exceptional wine and sherry menu, possibly the best fino sherry I’ve ever drunk.

Quo Vadis on Dean St in Soho is hardly new but is my favourite go-to when I arrive in London on a late-ish flight. I love Jeremy Lee’s comforting seasonal food. We enjoyed a smoked eel and horseradish sandwich, baked salsify with a dusting of Parmesan, roast partridge with cabbage, and one of these gooey desserts with custard and softly whipped cream — divine!

Another great find was a little hidden spot under the railway arches, on Mentmore Terrace, not far from the brilliant Saturday Broadway market in Hackney. It’s called Pockets and serves just one good thing: The most delicious and outstanding falafel I’ve ever tasted anywhere in the world. 

A fluffy pita pocket stuffed full to bursting with freshly fried falafel, tahini, red cabbage slaw, pickled onion, sumac, tomato, cucumber, hummus, red zhug, amba, and a crispy wafer of something delicious plus a killer chilli — a messy, irresistible feast in a pocket.

Potato and Chorizo Stew

recipe by:Darina Allen

Nieves Barragán Mohacho is the executive chef at Sabor, on Heddon Street, and has a cookbook by the same name published by Fig Tree. This stew from Rioja is simple but you do need to cut the potatoes correctly to ensure that their starch thickens the liqu

Servings

4

Preparation Time

 10 mins

Cooking Time

 45 mins

Total Time

 55 mins

Course

 Main

Ingredients

• 4 large potatoes

• 240g mild or spicy cooking chorizo

• 25ml extra virgin olive oil, plus more to serve

• 1 large Spanish onion, julienned

• 2 bay leaves

• 100ml dry white wine

• 1 litre chicken stock, or water, or a 50/50 mixture of both sea salt and freshly ground black pepper

• 2 tbsp flat-leaf parsley leaves, chopped

Method

1. Peel the potatoes. Partially cut into them, then pull them apart into chunky, uneven-edged pieces around 3cm in size.

2. Cut the chorizo to half the size of the potatoes.

3. Put the olive oil into a big pan on a medium heat, then add the onion and cook gently for about 15 minutes, without colouring.

4. Add the chorizo and when it starts to caramelise lightly (careful, it burns easily) add the potatoes, bay leaves and wine.

5. Cook until the wine has evaporated, then add the chicken stock and/or water and season.

6. Half cover the pan with a lid and continue cooking on a low-medium heat. The more slowly you cook it, the more starch will come out of the potatoes – it should take about 25 minutes.

7. When the potatoes are cooked through, add the parsley.

8. Serve with a drizzle of olive oil to finish and bread to dip.

Snow White Apple Ice Cream from Spring in London

recipe by:Darina Allen

They use Snow White organic apples from Fern Verrow, a biodynamic Farm in Herefordshire in the UK.

Servings

6

Preparation Time

 10 mins

Cooking Time

 10 mins

Total Time

 20 mins

Course

 Main

Ingredients

• Makes 1500ml ice cream

• Serves 4-6 approx.

• 340ml double cream

• 265ml whole milk

• ½ tsp flaky sea salt

• 90g caster sugar

• 90g egg yolks

• 800g freshly squeezed apple juice

• lemon juice

Method

1. To make the ice cream base, have ready a fine mesh sieve set over a heat-proof container.

2. Add the cream, milk, salt and sugar to a heavy-bottomed saucepan.

3. In a large and wide bowl, whisk the egg yolks until lightened in colour.

4. Temper the egg yolks with the hot cream, whisking constantly, then pour the mixture back in the saucepan.

5. Place the custard back on a low heat and cook, stirring constantly and scraping the bottom of the pot, until the custard reaches a temperature of 76°C. Immediately pass the custard through the sieve and into the container.

6. Place the container over a bowl of ice water and stir until cool to room temperature, then refrigerate overnight.

7. The following day, add the apple juice to the custard and taste for seasoning. Season with more sugar lightly and a generous squeeze of lemon.

8. Churn in an ice cream maker as per the manufacturer’s instructions, then transfer to the freezer for at least 2 hours before serving.

9. Serve a scoop of apple ice cream in a chilled bowl.

Sue Cullinane's Banoffee Pie

I don’t know the secret of The Hart Banoffee Pie but this too is delicious. Thank you, Sue, for sharing.

Servings

6

Preparation Time

 10 mins

Total Time

 10 mins

Course

 Main

Ingredients

• 2 tins dulche de leche (caramel sauce)

• 75g butter

• large packet of digestive biscuits, approx. 225g

• 6-8 bananas

• freshly squeezed juice of 1 lemon

• 425ml cream

• 3 tbsp Irel Coffee essence or Tia Maria

• To garnish

• grated chocolate or toasted flaked almonds

• 30.5cm cheesecake tin

Method

1. Melt the butter in a saucepan over a gentle heat.

2. Crush the biscuits and add to the butter.

3. Line the lightly oiled tin with this mixture and leave to set.

4. Open the tins and spread the dulche de leche over the biscuit base.

5. Slice the bananas, toss in freshly squeezed lemon juice and arrange on top of the toffee.

6. Whip the cream, add the coffee essence or Tia Maria.

7. Pipe over the bananas.

8. Cover lightly and put it into the fridge to set.

9. Serve sprinkled with chocolate swirls or toasted almonds.

10. Note: The banoffee pie may be prepared a day ahead.

Seasonal Journal

Galtee Honey Farm Tours and Workshops

Galtee Honey Farm is run by the Mac Giolla Coda family, third and fourth-generation beekeepers. Micheál and Aoife are certified lecturers in beekeeping. They are dedicated to sustainability, looking after their 170 hives of honey bees. Galtee Honey Farm is one of the pioneers of Native Irish Honey Bee Conservation.

To find out more about the tours and courses they are offering, see galteehoney.com

The Centre of Food Culture Ireland - Producers Directory

A brilliant new initiative in the Boyne Valley in Co. Meath, The Centre of Food Culture Ireland is delighted to launch the first publicly available directory of artisan and farmhouse food producers, growers, craft breweries, cider producers and distilleries across the island of Ireland, acting as a resource for consumers, chefs and stakeholders across the food industry.

It's a work-in-progress at present so if you are an artisan or farmhouse food producer or grower that sells directly to the public or food service, craft brewer, cider producer or distiller based on the island of Ireland and want to be a part of their directory, then be sure to get in touch.

To register and find out more, see

foodcultureireland.ie/producer-directory

Grow It Yourself

Let this year be the year you start to grow some of your own food.

Time to look at the seed catalogues, start smart, don’t be overambitious – maybe start a growing club with a few friends and share tips and knowledge. It’s never too early to get planning. See giy.ie for a myriad of practical tips.