The Beat That My Heart Skipped – A blog dedicated to daily design inspirations. By Rohini Wahi.

There has been much activity on our allotment lately. Earlier this year we decided to take on ‘Co-Workers’. This is allotment terms for the official and vetted persons who the plot holder shares their piece of land with. In real terms we now have an allotment family; Jodie, Jess, and their lovely children Misty (aged 4) and Sollie (aged 2). The plot seems to be enjoying the attention it now receives on a regular basis from us all.

It is a full plot of 10 rods, so with just myself, David and Lily trying to keep it going on our own it was likely to be an up hill struggle, particularly now Arthur is on the scene; an allotment isn’t the best place for a crawling 1 year old! Jodie, Jess, Misty and Sollie are the perfect allotment family … we only wish we had thought of this ‘veg plot marriage’ before. Four pairs of hands are certainly better than two, the kids keep each other entertained for hours and it means we get to spend extra time with our dear friends – a win win situation!

With the weather getting warmer and the lighter evening stretching out the day, it is great to plan a bit of early evening pottering down the plot at the end of a hard days work. It’s the perfect for of relaxation. Recently Jess and I spent an evening down the allotment before going round to a friend’s house for a few glasses of wine and girlie chat.

With no time for dinner, I made us a picnic tea to eat on the plot – Smoked Salmon, Spinach and Kale Tart with a simple salad and granary rolls. The tart started off as a Jamie Oliver recipe, but I  changed and altered it to make it fit the ingredients I had to hand … and it tastes all the better when eaten outdoors with slightly muddy fingers!

Louise x

Smoked Salmon, Spinach and Kale Tart

Ingredients

1 block of frozen shortcrust pastry, defrosted
A knob of butter
olive oil
2 red onions, peeled and finely sliced
1 clove of garlic, peeled and finely sliced
350g of spinach / kale (you could also use chard), washed, thick stems removed
a few sprigs of fresh thyme (marjoram or oregano would also work well)
sea salt and freshly ground pepper
500g creme fraiche
150g grated parmesan cheese, plus extra for grating
3 eggs
200g smoked salmon, cut into small strips

1. Roll out the pastry on a floured surface until it is about 0.5 cm thick and big enough to line a shallow baking tray about 30 x 40cm. Grease the tray with butter and line it with the pastry. Trim any excess pastry off, leaving a 1cm overhang. Pinch this overhang dough up to create a rim. Prick the pastry case all over with a fork and chill in the fridge for 30mins.

2. Preheat the oven to 190C/ 375F / Gas 5. Remove the pastry case from the fridge and place it in the preheated oven for 6 to 8 mins until lightly golden.
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We seem to have experienced a few false starts to spring, with the sun coming out for a few days only to give way to a chilly grey gloom that is very dull and uninspiring. We’re now in the latter part of May, and the weather forecast is looking promising once more, so I’d like to think this is it, and there will be no turning back! So with this optimistic view, I am bringing you a lovely springtime recipe from an amazing chef, who leads the kitchen team at the prestigious Dolada Restaurant in London’s Mayfair.

Riccardo was born in the Veneto region of Italy and represents the fifth generation of the De Prà family of restaurateurs, passionate about agriculture and producing ingredients of the highest quality, at the family-owned Ristorante Dolada.

Riccardo has a rich culinary background with his early experience gained working for the best Italian and French Michelin starred restaurants. He has lived and cooked all over the world to broaden his wealth of knowledge for food. In the UK Riccardo has worked with Stefano Cavallini at the Halkin Hotel, and the Roux brothers in Suffolk; further afield he has worked under the guidance of his mentor Hiroisha Koyama in Japan at the Basara Restaurant and the Tucshima at Aoyagi Restaurant.

For us he is going back to his Italian roots and sharing his sublime recipe for Zabaione. Zabaione is a delicate, foamy custard made from eggs and Marsala, but can also be made using other wines or coffee; it can be served as it is, in little cups, or served with cookies and such, as a dip, or served gratinated with fruit as desserts. Riccarddo strongly advises that to do this recipe well you must use a copper pan as only copper can transmit the heat in a very uniform way and cooks the egg very softly and evenly.

In short: tasty and versatile!
Louise x

P.S. If you’re mouth is watering whilst reading this post and you don’t have access to a copper pan, you can book to eat at Dolada. With lunch starting from as little as £17 per head and no washing up to do, it is a rather tempting option don’t you think?

Riccardo’s Zabaione Spring Recipe

Prep Time: 10 minutes
Cook Time: 15 minutes

Ingredients:

6 yolks
120 g sugar
120 g Marsala wine

Preparation: 
Beat the yolks and the sugar until the mixture is pale yellow [tending towards white], then beat in the Marsala and cook in a copper pan over a very light heat. Do not let it boil, and remove it from the heat as soon as it thickens. 
Warm up the cups before serving it and enjoy!

As many regular readers will know, I love nothing better than an excuse to bake a cake. One such opportunity presented itself to me recently with a visit from Lily and Arthur’s Great Aunty Celia and her best friend Pat. These two lovely ladies adore Lily and Arthur and often make a trip down to the coast to see them, either with the WI [a slight detour when on the annual Brighton trip], or as on this occasion, they make their own way down from West London on the train. They always arrive, without fail, with [far too much] chocolate for the children, and I, without fail, bake a cake.

Now Great Aunty Celia is rather traditional in her ways when it comes to food. She won’t really dabble in anything from outside this islands shores – so you have to really think traditional English fare that hasn’t been tampered with in any way to give it a modern contemporary twist… so I accept that restraint is called for.

A classic recipe that ceases to fail is a must, something with an air of afternoon tea and village fetes perhaps? Then it just has to be a Lemon-Syrup Loaf Cake. This is a recipe, I have made on so many occasions that I have lost count, is from the wonderful baking bible ‘How To Be A Domestic Goddess’ by Nigella Lawson. There is no excusing that it is a plain looking cake, but this buttery sponge, moist with citrus, just melts in your mouth …. heavenly!

I am pleased to report that both Great Aunty Celia and Pat gave the cake exceedingly good merit. From two life-long members of the WI, I’ll accept that as a shining complement!

Louise x

LEMON-SYRUP LOAF CAKE
Serves 8 – 10

For the cake:

125g unsalted butter
175g caster sugar
2 large eggs
zest of 1 lemon
175g self-raising flour
pinch of salt
4 tbsp milk
450g loaf tin, buttered and lined
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I feel the need to share a little secret with you this week, hence the extra post from me. Regular readers will have already come across Louise Barnard, as she has contributed one of her amazing recipes from her company BabyBites back in February. Well, Louise has her fingers in many pies and alongside BabyBites she set up The Secret Service Supper Club, a ‘pop up’ restaurant that sets up for the weekend, once a month or so, in secret and unusual locations.

This weekend [May 8th/9th] the SSSC are off to Bath for a Decadent High Tea and Lazy Spring Brunch.  They’ll be installed in a spectacular, historic building in central Bath, but exactly where, and what is going on in it, is their little secret. Those that book will find out 24 hours before [via email], the final secret will unveil when you arrive.

At high tea you will nibble on canapes and drink champagne cocktails. Your mouth will water as you cast your eyes along the banqueting table crammed full of dainty sandwiches and delightful tartlets. Your eyes will pop at sight of cake stands bursting with freshly baked scones and cream filled cakes.

At brunch you will drink champagne cocktails, no boring bucks fizz here, eat bagels stuffed with smoked salmon and capers, ciabatta topped with Parma ham and fig compote, home made maple and pecan granola,  platters of local cheeses including an organic, un-pasteurised double gloucester from the Wye Valley and plenty more.

All this will be served up on gorgeous vintage china from the lovely people at Bristol Vintage. Lahloo tea will be providing an exciting range of teas, including a Pink Rose Bud tea which the SSSC anticipate going very well with the lavender scones. Lahloo’s tea’s are all loose leaf, fair trade, organic and from small producers.

Spring Brunch tickets for May 8th/9th @ 10.30am, can be booked here.
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Decadent High Tea Tickets for May 8th/9th @ 3.30pm can be booked here.

The SSSC are well known in Bristol for popping up in secret locations to give diners a unique, sociable and, most of all, delicious experience. As with all SSSC events, the focus is on locally sourced, seasonal and scrumptious food and creating a sociable, fun and unusual events, unlike anywhere else.

And remember…..Shhh! Dont tell anyone as its a secret!

Louise x

All images courtesy of Thomas Poulsom.

This week we have a treat for all you real ‘foodies’ out there. Gavin Billenness is a chef, writer and founder of Savoy Truffle Supperclub and he is sharing his wonderful recipe for Twice Cooked Pork Belly with Apple and Fig Chutney and Maderia Jus … a perfect change to your usual Sunday Roast this weekend!

If you live anywhere near Blackheath in south-east London you could sample Gavin’s extraordinary menus first hand at his laid-back monthly Supper Club called Savoy Truffle Supperclub that he holds in his own front room along with his gardener/writer partner and team of guerrilla chefs. I simply love the idea of Supper Clubs and take my hat off to anyone that can pull them off – it takes a lot of hard work and talent. Gavin and his team certainly have what it takes. The Savoy Truffle Supperclub team work in the hip, award-winning London restaurant Acorn House when they’re not at the Savoy Truffle Supperclub and have cooked for the likes of Orlando Bloom, James McAvoy, Hugh-Fearnley Whittingstall and Giorgio Locatelli.

This underground and exclusive pop-up restaurant prides itself on their multi-course feast of fabulous locally-scoured food. Their veg comes from either their very own allotment or a farm just seven miles away. The thought, planning and sheer imagination that goes into each night is totally inspiring and promises for an experience that could give any top eatery a run for their money.
For more information about the Savoy Truffle Supperclub visit here and if you’d like to try more of Gavin’s own recipes you will find a great selection on his blog gavinbillenness.blogspot.com

Louise x

Twice cooked pork belly with apple and fig chutney and Madeira jus

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