Southbank Café with Napier

Servings: 2

Ingredients:

• 1 cup skim milk
• 1 teaspoon sugar
• 1 1/2 cups strong brewed coffee

Directions:

1) After your coffee has brewed, combine the sugar & milk and heat it in your microwave for 2 minutes at the highest setting.
2) Next, whip the heated milk/sugar mix in your blender for about one minute until it's a fluffy foam.
3) Fill your cup two thirds full with the coffee and top it off with your heated froth.

Cappuchinos with Napier on the Southbank Centre terrace overlooking the Thames: on July 25, 2013. Then on to drop excess luggage at the RTYC, a walk through Hyde Park walk and South Ken, and finally stops at Grangers and the Ferrari dealership!

Regent's Park, Smoked Salmon & Canal Walk

Sensible Pad Thai

Makes 2 servings

Ingredients

• 5 ounces pad thai rice noodles
• 3 tablespoons vegetable oil
• 1 large egg, room temperature
• 6 medium shrimp, peeled, deveined (optional)
• 2 tablespoons 1x1/2x1/8" slices pressed tofu (bean curd)
• 1 tablespoon sweet preserved shredded radish, rinsed, chopped into 1" pieces
• 1 cup bean sprouts
• 5 tablespoons tamarind water, or 2 tablespoons plus 1 teaspoon tamarind paste mixed with 2 tablespoons plus 1 teaspoon water
• 1 1/2 tablespoons (or more) Thai fish sauce (nam pla)
• 1 1/2 tablespoons simple syrup made with palm sugar (or honey?)
• 4 garlic chives, 2 cut into 1" pieces
• 2 tablespoons crushed roasted, unsalted peanuts, divided
• 2 lime wedges
• Optional: 1/2 teaspoon ground dried Thai chiles, divided

 

Preparation

Place noodles in a large bowl; pour hot water over to cover. Let soak until tender but not mushy, 5-10 minutes. Drain; set aside. 

Heat vegetable oil in a wok or large skillet over medium-high heat. Add egg; stir until barely set, about 30 seconds. Add shrimp, if using. Cook, stirring, until shrimp and egg are almost cooked through, 2-3 minutes. Add tofu and radish; cook for 30 seconds.

Add noodles and cook for 1 minute. Stir in sprouts. Add tamarind water, fish sauce, and simple syrup and stir-fry until sauce is absorbed by noodles and noodles are well coated, about 1 minute. Stir in chopped garlic chives. Add 1/4 teaspoon ground chiles and 1 tablespoon peanuts and toss well. Transfer to serving plates.

Garnish with remaining 1/4 teaspoon ground chiles, 1 tablespoon peanuts, and lime wedges.

First time we tried (something like) this recipe was: with Napier at his recording studio on July 2, 2013. Then a walk all over Camden.