New Fortune Fried Rice with Pork and Shrimp

Ingredients

• 400 g (13 oz) pork fillets
• 1/3 cup vegetable oil
• 4 free-range eggs, lightly beaten
• 1 small red onion, finely diced
• 1 tablespoon finely diced ginger
• 2 teaspoons white sugar
• 2 tablespoons hoisin sauce
• 2 tablespoons light soy sauce
• 1 tablespoon malt vinegar
• 1/4 teaspoon sesame oil
• 4 cups steamed rice
• 2/3 cup finely sliced spring onions (scallions)

Preparation

Using a sharp knife, cut pork fillets into 5 mm (1/4 inch) slices, then cut into 5 mm (1/4 inch) strips and set aside.

Heat half the oil in a hot wok until surface seems to shimmer slightly. Pour beaten eggs into wok and leave to cook on the base of the wok for 10 seconds before folding egg mixture over onto itself with a spatula and lightly scrambling for about 1 minute or until almost cooked through. Carefully remove omelette from wok with a spatula and drain on kitchen paper. Set aside.

Heat remaining oil in hot wok and stir-fry onion and ginger for 30 seconds. Add sugar and stir-fry for 30 seconds. Add pork and stir-fry for a further 30 seconds. Stir in hoisin sauce, soy sauce, vinegar, and sesame oil and cook, stirring, for 1 minute. Toss in rice and reserved omelette and stir-fry, using a spatula to break up the egg into smaller pieces, for 1 minute. Lastly, add spring onions and stir-fry for a further 30 seconds or until well combined and rice is heated through.

Transfer rice to a platter and serve.

First time we tried (something similar to) this recipe was: on January 25, 2014 at the New Fortune Cookie restaurant in Bayswater!

New Fortune Roast Duck

Ingredients

• 1 (2 1/2-pound) Rouen Clair or Duclair duck (preferably aged), neck removed
• 3/4 cup dry red wine
• 3/4 cup soy sauce
• 1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice
• 1/3 cup hoisin sauce
• 1 teaspoon Sichuan peppercorns (optional)
• 1 (2 1/2-inch) cinnamon stick
• 1/8 teaspoon dried hot red pepper flakes
• 3 garlic cloves, smashed
• 1 (1/4-inch-thick) piece peeled fresh ginger, smashed
• 1 small onion, quartered
• 1 cup water
• 1 tablespoon all-purpose flour

• Special equipment: kitchen string; an instant-read thermometer

 

Preparation

 

Put oven rack in middle position and preheat oven to 400°F.
Wash and dry duck, then "groom" it by removing any remaining feathers and quills with tweezers or needlenose pliers. Tie legs together using string, then tuck wings under body to secure.
Combine all remaining ingredients except water and flour in a large sealable plastic bag and add duck. Marinate, chilled, 1 hour.

Transfer duck to a 13- by 9- by 3-inch roasting pan and reserve marinade. Roast 15 minutes. Meanwhile, pour 3/4 cup marinade through a sieve into a 1-quart saucepan and discard remainder. Boil 1 minute and baste duck with marinade. Continue to roast duck until thermometer registers 155°F when inserted in meaty part of a thigh or 160°F in breast (do not touch bone), 15 to 20 minutes more.

While duck continues to roast, add 1 cup water to marinade in saucepan and bring to a boil. Put flour in a heatproof bowl and whisk in 1/4 cup marinade until smooth. Whisk flour mixture into remaining marinade in saucepan until combined well. Simmer over low heat, stirring occasionally, until thick enough to coat back of a spoon, about 3 minutes. Keep warm over low heat, stirring occasionally.
Remove duck from oven and let stand 10 minutes before carving. (Duck will continue to cook, reaching 160°F at leg and 165°F at breast.)

Serve duck with sauce.

First time we tried (something similar to) this recipe was: on January 25, 2014 at the New Fortune Cookie restaurant in Bayswater!

Szechuan Chilli Beef

Ingredients:

• 1 pound beef (flank or sirloin steak is good)
• 2 regular carrots
• 1 tablespoon minced ginger
• 2 scallions (spring onions, green onions), white parts only
• 1 tablespoon sweet bean sauce (or substitute hoisin sauce)
• 3 teaspoons chili paste or chili sauce
• 7 1/2 tablespoons oil for stir-frying, or as needed
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 1 tablespoon Chinese rice wine or dry sherry
• 1/2 teaspoon sugar
• 1/2 teaspoon roasted Szechuan peppercorn (see link in recipe directions for instructions)

 

Preparation:

Cut the beef julienne style, across the grain into thin slices less than 1/4-inch thick and 2 1/2 - 3 inches long. Wash, peel and julienne the carrots into thin strips about 1/8 inch thick and 2 1/2 - 3 inches long. Mince the ginger. Cut the scallion into lengths about 2 1/2 inches long, and then into into thin shreds.

In a small bowl, combine the bean sauce and chile paste or sauce. Set aside.
Preheat the wok on medium high heat for at least 30 seconds. (The wok is ready when you can feel the heat when holding the palm of your hand 2 - 3 inches above the wok's surface).

Add 1 1/2 tablespoons oil to the preheated wok, drizzling down the sides. When the oil is hot, add the julienned carrots. Stir-fry for 2 minutes, stirring in the salt. (Do not brown the carrots). Remove from the wok.

Heat 6 tablespoons of oil in the wok over medium high to high heat. When the oil is hot, add the beef. Stir-fry for approximately 10 minutes, until the beef is crispy and dark brown and chewy (you will hear the beef sizzle as it dries out). Splash the beef with the rice wine or dry sherry during the later stages of cooking.

Push the beef up to the sides and drain all but 2 tablespoons from the wok. Add the bean sauce and chili paste or sauce mixture. Stir-fry for a few seconds, then add the ginger and scallions. Stir-fry for a few seconds, until aromatic, then return the carrots to the wok.
Stir in the sugar and the roasted Szechuan peppercorn. Taste and adjust seasonings if desired. Serve hot.

First time we tried (something similar to) this recipe was: on January 25, 2014 at the New Fortune Cookie restaurant in Bayswater!

Dolphins Are Not Food!

Protesting against the horrific dolphin killing in Taiji, Japan outside the Japanese Embassy near Green Park in London on Friday, February 21, 2014.

 

Valentine Greek Salad

 

Ingredients

• 50g/2oz black Kalamata olives
• 3 medium tomatoes, diced into 2cm/¾in cubes
• 1 cucumber peeled, diced into 2cm/¾in cubes
• 1 red pepper, de-seeded, diced
• ½ red onion, sliced finely
• 100ml/3fl oz extra virgin olive oil
• 150g/5oz feta, diced
• 1 small bib lettuce
• 1 generous sprig of oregano (or 2 tsp dried oregano)
• 50ml/3 tbsp red wine vinegar

 

Preparation method

1. Mix all the ingredients in a bowl.
   
   
   First time we (almost!) tried this recipe was: on February 14, 2014!
   
   
   
   
   

Valentine's Lamb Tagine with Walnuts and Figs

 Ingredients

• 2 lbs boneless lamb shoulder cut into 1 1/2-inch pieces
• 2 medium onions
• 3 cloves garlic 
• 2 tablespoons olive oil
• 800g chickpeas
• 300ml chicken stock
• 1 lemon - juice and zest 
• 1/2 teaspoon ground ginger
• 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
• 1/2 teaspoon ground coriander
• Salt and freshly ground black pepper
• 1 tablespoons honey
• 1 tbsp tomato purée
• 1 cup walnut halves
• 12 oz dried figs (about 1 1/2 cups), hard ends discarded
•  1 tablespoon finely chopped cilantro or flat-leaf parsley 
• 2 teaspoons paprika ( but NOT for Nicholas!)

 

Preparation 

• In a 12-inch skillet, combine lamb, garlic, olive oil, onions, ginger, ground cinnamon, 2 teaspoons salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste, tossing to combine.
• Add 2 cups water or chicken stock to tagine and simmer, covered, 1 hour. Add figs and honey to tagine and simmer, covered, 30 minutes longer, checking occasionally toward end of cooking time to be sure tagine is not dry, adding more water if necessary to keep meat from burning and sticking to pot. Tagine is done when lamb is very tender and most of liquid has evaporated.
• While tagine is simmering, in a small skillet, toast walnuts in melted butter over moderate heat, stirring frequently, until a shade darker and set aside.
• To serve, arrange tomato slices over lamb and top each with a fig. Sprinkle with walnuts and chopped cilantro or parsley.
   
  

  
  
  

  

  
  
  

  

  
  
  

  

  
  
  
  First time we tried this recipe was: on February 14, 2014!