Thai Squid Salad

Thai Squid Salad {+ other Asian salad stories}

Jump straight to the recipe → "I'd say the most dangerous thing I've ever done is probably bungee jumping in Thailand" - Simon Cowell I bought an orchid at Bangkok airport once. And then got on the plane and proceeded to spend the next eleven hours in a panic that I was going to be arrested at Heathrow for bringing prohibited plant contraband into the country. I am pretty sure I didn’t ...

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Spicy Sichuan Stir-Fry

"China is a big country, inhabited by many Chinese" - Charles de Gaulle I have always been skeptical of those introductory sections in cookbooks on how to stock one's 'larder' (although I like the implication that we all live in Downton Abbey). The ones that pretend that if you maintain a decent supply of pulses, anchovies, soy sauce and jarred sun-dried tomatoes, you will always be able to rustle up something utterly delicious with whatever decaying ...

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Squid, Bean & Chilli Salad

"The only thing that will make a souffle fall is if it knows you're afraid of it" - James Beard Post frequency levels have taken something of a battering the last few weeks. I wondered today whether I should just have done what they used to do over at Goop and simply announce that the blog is going on holiday until September. But then I got a grip and realised that ...

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Vietnamese Turmeric Fish (Chà Cá Há Nôi)

"U.G.L.Y. You ain't got no alibi! You ugly!" - Daphne & Celeste No, not you. I probably haven't even met you so how could I possibly know that? Monkfish. They are ugly. If you've ever had the pleasure of seeing a whole one - fishmongers often just have the tails on display - you will know what I am talking about.  Their heads are as wide as their bodies are long, they have 7 ...

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Cinco de Mayo – Tequila & Tacos

"Why did the Mexican push his wife off the cliff? Tequila!" Yes, I do write my own material and yes, I am here all week (try the veal) etc. Anyway, it's 5 May! And because 90% of you reading this are European, that will mean absolutely nothing whatsoever! It's just the day after Star Wars Day, right? But those of you in the US, or unbashed Americophiles like me, will know ...

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Healthy Procrastination 2

    Welcome to this week's (belated) round up of my internet time-wasting! Nice little piece on great inexpensive kitchen finds at Ikea. I have about half the things on the list (including the Ädelsten pestle and mortar, which I love) so they have obviously chosen well. It's a US site but I think most/all is available at Ikea worldwide. I would also add the Ljust tupperware range and the Droppar storage jars to ...

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Salmon Tartare & Rye Crackers

"In 1998 a poll revealed that 54.4% of Icelanders said they believed in elves"  - Michael Booth, The Nearly Almost Perfect People I had intended to introduce this recipe with something about the prevailing mania in the UK for all things Scandinavian, when I came across this statistic in Michael Booth's recent book about the supposed "Nordic miracle". And how could we possibly talk about Borgen, minimalist furniture, Angry Birds, cinnamon buns and Lordi when we ...

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jamie oliver kedgeree

Jamie’s Rescue Me Kedgeree

"In England, you're allowed to have an opinion - as long as it comes out of your mouth" - Jamie Oliver I hadn't intended to put a Jamie Oliver quote on this post but there really haven't been many great witticisms uttered about smoked fish. Odd, huh? It did make me remember though how much I bloody love Jamie Oliver. He's not everybody's cup of tea I know, and he does have ...

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José Pizarro’s Sautéed Squid

"Talent without discipline is like an octopus on roller skates. There's plenty of movement, but you never know if it's going to be forward, backwards, or sideways" - H. Jackson Brown Jnr Octopus can recognise and remember humans. TRUE ACTUAL FACT OF SCIENCE. They can also do puzzles, respond to their own name and have friends and nemeses. According to this article in the Daily Mail, Octopus are probably going to be ...

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Fish Forever

"If we do not change our direction, we are likely to end up where we are headed." - Chinese Proverb All this eating more fish has meant that I have finally had to face up to this whole sustainable fishing thing, something I had previously written off as looking rather complicated and, frankly, unappetising - gurnard, sprats and whelks? Easier just to eat meat! But face it I must and I ...

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Garlic Prawns & Californian Chopped Salad

  "Lettuce is like conversation: it must be fresh and crisp, and so sparkling that you scarcely notice the bitter in it." - Charles Dudley Warner (1871) I spend a fair amount of time, particularly during the British winter, daydreaming about how my life would be if I lived in California. Conclusion? It'd be 52 kinds of awesome. I'd go everywhere in my gym kit, carrying my eco-friendly glass water bottle and a ...

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Bream No.2 – The One Without the Eyes

"I know the human being and fish can coexist peacefully" - George W. Bush (2000) I had intended to put both bream suggestions in my first post today - a sort of "Bream Two Ways" as it were  - but that got rather long. So here is Bream 2.0 - this time using just the fillets - the easiest and quickest thing in the world to cook and two great vegetable ideas ...

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