Spanish black rice ( arrizo negro)

Black rice with squid 

Black rice

 

 

Ever since I tried Spanish black rice at Iberica, the Spanish tapas bar & restaurant in London, I just fell in love with this ocean soaked black rice, it was just like big sea and rice were in my mouth. I loved it , salty sea taste with soft squid pieces, brown shrimps, mixed with this black rice, What can I say!
It was one of the most delicious and pleasurable things I had. I had to try this at home.
Finding recipe was easy , but squid ink? found in Amazon !  but it feel odd buying from Amazon, I was gong to buy Italian or Spanish speciality shop in London.

Anyway when  I was at Selfridge, Food Hall, asked fish monger,  I was pleasantly surprised  they sell those, tiny 2packs for £3,

1 finely chopped onion
2 M size tomato, skinned, deseeded and chopped
1 cup Spanish rice
3 cups of good clam or  fish stock
2-3 packs of Squid ink
Extra V olive oil
1 Squid, cleaned, skinned and cut 2cm long, 1cm wide.
5-6 prawns, shell off and devein by slit on the back, take out black vein. or1tbsp of brown shrimps

In a wide pan heat 1 tbsp olive oil and put squid pieces cook for 2mintues and put in the plate, reserve squid's juice  in the pan, add onion and cook, add chopped tomato, when they are cooked add another 1 tbsp oil and pour rice stir well to coat oil on the rice. Add stock in to the pan boil for 5minutes and lower the heat to rice to cook,
When rice is cooked put squid ink and stir well until they are well coat and gently cook another a few minutes, add cooked squid, prawns , season with salt and pepper .
I put lemon zest and chopped parsley before serving.
Key is having a good stock to have taste of sea.

I like to be really black like in Iberica and glossy, add a few drops of extra V oil and serve with good green salad.

We had as a main course but it would be good as a starter.

Easter festive foods in our house

Baked salmon with squid

Baked potato



Spicy Chicken BBQ

Kimchi

Baked spicy vegetables

Easter Spring Lamb

Spicy & nutty chocolate

 Since we are staying at home and having guests  on Saturday, I  had to plan the menu for the 4 days holiday.

As usual Good Friday dinner was baked salmon with potatoes with char grilled pakchoi.
Salmon can be rather a boring dish, I've decided to add squid and brown shrimps to top on the baked salmon , with parsley and caper sauce.
it looks exotic and delicious.

Put whole side salmon on the baking try, add shaved fennel, chopped ginger ( 1tbsp), grated 1 lemon zest, salt & pepper , a few slices of lemon on the top and  bake 180c for 20 -25 minutes.
Sauce, 2 tbsp. chopped parsley, 2 tsp capers, 1 tbsp. lemon juice, 2tbsp extra virgin olive oil , salt & pepper.
We all had with baked sliced potato soaked with chicken stock. they are lighter than with cream of milk.

For the Saturday, we had Korean young couple and baby for lunch, I was debating to myself what to cook, eventually, took a safe option, Korean food.
Marinated chicken thigh with Korean spicy chili paste with garlic, ginger, black bean sauce, honey , sesame oil and bake n the hot oven ( 180c) for 1 hour and serve with cucumber salad, rice, kimchi .  made Slow cooked belly pork as bo ssam dish. as well.

Now Sunday lunch. Spring  leg of lamb can not beat as the Easter Sunday lunch.
Insert with rosemary and garlic and roast n a hot oven 180c, for 40 minutes and reduce to 150c and another 40 min, rest for at least 20 minutes , t was nice and pink!!
Roast potato with goose fat was a treat.

Easter Monday was just easy with left overs, made my speciality chocolate.
Spicy, fruity , nutty , salty chocolate, all family loves.  

Korean Cookery dates in May: 3rd, 10th, 17th, 24th, 31st.
email: kiejosarsfield@hotmail.co.uk
  

Finger Food (Dirty Food)

Beef & prawn balls

Cucumber & dill salad



Italian ham& smoked salmon



Grilled octopus



Scotch eggs

Scotch eggs

According to The Times paper, London food scene is changing to finger food, they call dirty food.
No booking , first come first serve system is very popular., burger and chips, pulled pork & chips, spicy fried chicken wings so on, all very American.

Our family are all love various finger food for the lazy late Saturday lunch. As a Korean, it is just normal, like a Korean meal set, rice with 4-6 different dishes, they are more than tapas.
Our favourite dishes are, cold ham, smoked salmon, Scotch quail eggs,  bean salad, Korean pancakes ( seafood or just courgette & chilli), dips with good sourdough bread.
you do have more work to do but it is much more interesting and all family got talk freely, as a foodie family , topic is always about new food in London.

I change every week also make more veggies dishes, like  baked cauliflower with curry and cheese, baked aubergine with Korean  spicy sauce  so on.

I think finger food dinning at home is more family oriented affair, hope all my blog readers will try casual finger food lunch time to time.

I have no plan usually, whatever I can find a good value and fresh ingredient in my week end shopping, I just improvise . as the photo, last week I found small octopus, were so cheap, boiled in  red wine and  onion, garlic, pepper corn and a dry chilli for 1 hour. when they are cold, marinate with soy, sugar, sesame oil, spicy chiili paste and simply grilled in my oven, it was so tender and delicious!