SoFeminine.co.uk have been holding a global competition for select bloggers to submit their favourite recipes. I admit once the enthuasiasm and excitement had abated I was more than a little intimated by their request. But, eventually, I pulled myself together and came up with a Starter, Main Course and Dessert which represents an area I am particularly passionate about – Modern British Cooking.
One of the things which always irks me is the way British Cuisine is downplayed by others – the most notable culprits being some British chefs. Listen to enough TV shows and sooner or later you hear Britain is a land of Fish and Chips, Roast Beef and Fry ups. But this is no longer the case. One of the beauties of British cooking is its inifinite adaptability. We are the magpies of the world, drawing the best ideas from the food of other cultures and fusing it with our own splendid local producer. I am proud to be British and proud of our British cuisine. With this in mind I decided to showcase traditional dishes with my own spin.
So it was, one cold wet Friday evening, my family and I gathered together to sample my Best of British with a Twist menu.
We begin our journey in Scotland. It is a widely known fact that the best tasting Langoustines are those fished from cold waters which is why, incidentally, the ones from Scotland are the best in the world. I absolutely adore Langoustines – they have a delicate flavour. Below is my favourite seafood dish – its very simple, uncomplicated, and did I mention delicious. The chilli adds a depth of heat without detracting anything from the Langoustines.
Grilled Langoustines with Garlic & Sweet Chilli Butter
Ingredients
• 100g soft unsalted butter
• 2 large garlic cloves, crushed
• Good squeeze of lime juice
• 2 tablespoons of Sweet Chilli Sauce
• Salt and freshly ground pepper
• 20 cooked langoustines
• A little Olive Oil
1) Beat the butter until really soft, then add the garlic, lemon juice, sweet chilli suace and seasoning.
2) Shape half of the mixture into a log, wrap in cling film and chill.
3) I cook them whole but you can choose to cut each langoustine in half lengthways and arrange, flesh-side up, on one or two large baking trays. This does make them easier to eat.
4) Brush each langoustine with a little olive oil and a little butter then cook under a medium grill for a couple of minutes until hot. Do take care not to cook them too long as their delicate texture will be ruined.
5) Dot the flavoured butter on the langoustines and served.
I like to serve mine with some Spelt Bread. Ideally, when I lived in Scotland, it would always be the spelt bread from the Findborn Foundation Bakery at the Phoenix Shop. Nowadays I have to make my own. But a good flavoursome bread is what you need to mop up these juices!
Part 2 tomorrow comes with my own version of Cottage Pie… Incidentally, forgive the photography neither me nor my camera are professionals when it comes to food photography – I get a lucky shot every now and again only when I am lucky!