Lemon Thyme & Garlic Chicken

I was dithering about what to cook one night earlier this week, initially i thought about making homemade hamburgers, but kicked that one to the side as i was doubtful they would be as good as the ones we had recently with the Phillip's. JP made the best hamburgers i've eaten in ages. I'm not really a huge Hamburger fan, it's not something i would ever particularly order in a restaurant (GBK withstanding) but these were delicious. Looking through the fridge i came across some amazing Garlic which was recently given. Each bulb is one whole clove & it's so sweet, it's great to roast in the oven or use for Aioli.  The Houseboy laments over my love of garlic which can occasionally take over mealtimes with vengeance, but there is no way i'm giving it up! Anyway it's very good for you. 

When Mrs Rhodes was down visiting the Big Smoke recently we headed to the V&A in South Kensington for a morning of culture. We saw a great exhibition 'The History of Making' & i highly recommend it. It's small enough not to bore people who aren't too museum minded but with enough to keep the highbrow interested. My favourite was the 'Alphabet', a row of pencil-tip structures by Dalton Ghetti - so amazingly miniature & detailed. I doubt i will be attempting anything similar as i don't think i have that much patience.

This is an easy & quick dish which freezes well. You can make is more interesting by maybe adding different kinds of Mushrooms, using Red Wine in place of White...the choice is yours. You could also add a little cream near the end to make it as little richer.   

Serves 2.
Ingredients:

• 2 chicken breasts
• handful of button mushrooms
• several sprigs lemon thyme (normal thyme is just as good)
• 2 garlic cloves
• juice of half a lemon
• splash of white wine
• pinch of s&p

Method:

Begin by pulling the leaves from the stalks of thyme, slicing the garlic thinly & squeezing the juice from the lemon, combine together in a bowl along with s&p. Slice the chicken breasts long ways into 5/6 strips & add to the marinade you have just made. Coat well and set aside. Ideally it's nice to let is rest for 30mins so all the flavours infuse, but not imperative. Heat up your frying pan till nice & hot with a dash of olive oil & carefully add the chicken, cooking for roughly 10 minutes. Add the wine & mushrooms & turn down the heat & leave till chicken is cooked through. I served this with Mashed Potato & Mange Tout, but it would work equally well with Couscous or Rice. 

Healthy Chocolate Mousse

Chocolate Mousse.

If i hadn't been having quite so much fun i swear i would think i have just lost the last three weeks.... I can't believe its September already, the nights are drawing in quicker & there's more than a trace of autumn blowing through London town. I love this time of year, the slight nip in the air first thing in the mornings, the fact you appreciate your feather duvet again & of course more excuses to eat hearty food. September can be a beautiful month is mother nature plays fair...

The last few weekends definitely have had a Scottish flavour with 2 trips north & Mrs Rhodes visiting from the Borders. Heading home is great as always. Fresh air, lots of walks & catching up with family is the usual order of the day. I can never get over how reasonably priced fresh fish is up North, it's literally a third of the price compared to London & three times better. Mrs Rhodes & i got a little carried away & put together a seafood platter which was pretty impressive. A second trip north was to celebrate Miss R. Shannon's 30th birthday in the lovely seaside village of Ellie in the Kingdom of Fife. More walks, lovely weather, epic birthday cake & lots of wine. We introduced the Houseboy to 'Buttries' an Aberdonian delicacy (Miss S & i both went to uni in Aberdeen) it's a bit like a salty flat croissant & very good with jam. 

A Rhodes & Rhodes Lunch Time Collaboration

The most exciting thing to happen last weekend was the arrival of my birthday present from the Houseboy - a Cannon 500D which is just completely, totally & utterly amazing. I'm so excited to start taking some proper shots of all the dishes i cook, it's something i feel lets my wee blog down at times. Very much looking forward to spending next weekend peddling around on my bike taking some shoots. There is the most amazing building on Lots Road in Fulham on the river which is used by the council in some way which i'm keen to explore. On Sunday the Houseboy & i had people over for lunch & had a kitchen collaboration. Last Christmas i gave him a days butchery course at The Ginger Pig & he came home with a beautifully done Rolled Shoulder of Lamb. (made me start day dreaming of us living in the country with the Houseboy becoming a butcher & me a Cheese maker) Using a Stephanie Alexander marinade of Anchovies, Chicken Stock, Thyme, Garlic & White Wine & resting the Lamb on a bed of Back Bacon (i'm not kidding) it was slowly cooked for 6hrs. The result was delicious & we served it up with Chive Mashed Potatoes & Green Beans. 

Ellie on the East Coast of Scotland.

As far i'm concerned this i THE holy grail of 'not so sinful' desserts. But alas i can not take full credit for the recipe. The brain child of Miss R. Shannon, who like myself strives to find delicious food that's not going to take a week to burn off in a sodding spin class. This pretty much smashes all the boxes. As the character Marjorie Dawes says... "its got half the calories so you can eat twice as much'. Don't be put off by the idea of tofu, you really can't tell once it's made, it gives it a nice nutty taste. Also great for people who want to avoid dairy. 

Ingredients:

• 400g silken tofu
• 150g 75% dark chocolate
• 2 tbsp icing sugar
• 2 tsp brandy (optional)

Method:

Melt the chocolate gently taking care not to burn it. Pop the tofu, melted chocolate, sifted icing sugar & brandy into your food processor & blend to a smooth paste. Place into ramekins & chill. It's quite rich so its nice to serve with a couple of raspberries on top.

Ellie Beach.

The Claret Wine Bar in Brisbane.

 

This weeks recommended pick is the The Claret House in Brisbane Australia, which, granted is more than a tube ride from London Town where i live, but places this good need to be talked about. With an array of friends living in Brisbane i have only heard good things & it's definitely on my to do list next time i'm over. 

A cosy wine bar nestled in the heart of Teneriffe, one of Brisbane’s trendiest suburbs it boasts a  boutique wine list made in heaven & a Modern European menu, which is sure to satisfy any foodie.  Run by the delectable Miss Dyer & her saucy other half Mr Chew it oozes charm & warmth making it a perfect choice for a mid week catch up with friends or a leisurely weekend lunch. With a dizzying array of choice, Claret House stock approximately 100 domestic and international wines, from Rieslings, Sauvignon Blancs & Semillions to Pinot Noirs, Grenaches & Shirazs, hailing from regions such as the Hunter Valley, NS, Adelaide Hills, SA, & Maipa Valley, CHL. With enthusiastic & true wine loving owners who are committed to making your experience one to remember you are encouraged to try different varieties, have a bit of fun & taste test (for free!) 

And what better way to brush up your skills than with a wine course? With both Basic and Intermediate Wine Courses on offer you can stun your friends with your new found knowledge. Over 3 hours, you’ll learn the things you need to know about wine but are afraid to ask. In a social setting & with no question too silly, they discuss the key grape varieties & styles, teach you about the major wine regions of Australia,  encourage you to taste wines from some of their favourite vineyards & give you the chance to meet like minded wine lovers.  

Game Terrine

Not forgetting the food, Chef, Dan Cossart is a genius in the teeny weeny kitchen (1m x 1m). His small, yet interesting Modern European menu consists of delicious pates, terrines, charcuteries & inventive cheeses boards. With a newly updated menu featuring delicious new choices such as Chevre du Pelussin (think goat triple cream!) from France, Queso Valdeon (vine wrapped blue) from Spain and Aged Gruyere from Switzerland, just to name a few.

On Wednesdays evenings they plays host the ever popular ‘Roast in the ‘Riffe (short for ‘Teneriffe’) for $20. Dishing up selection of premium meats served with seasonal roast vegetables. Quickly followed by Sunday get togethers, with a BBQ on the deck. Dan is always creative with his weekly choices of BBQ items. Think Portuguese Spatchcock, Sirloin, Salmon Fillet and Toulouse Sausages. So whether you’re swinging by for a bite to eat or & a few vinos, embrace the Claret House motto ‘where good wine meets good company’ 

Details: 
Shop 5 London Woolstores 36 Vernon Terrace Teneriffe 4006
Tel: 07 3257 0402
www.clarethouse.com.au 

Open Tuesday-Friday, 4pm-midnight, Saturday, 12pm-midnight & Sunday, 12-10pm.

The Bon Vivant in Edinburgh

 

I know initially i said i would be only covering London restaurants, but in hindsight that's a bit silly especially given this weeks wee gem in Edinburgh. I love times when you head off for dinner with friends, with no expectations & happy with their company alone to then end up having a fantastic meal. I'm a big Edinburgh fan - not only because i'm Scottish & grew up near by, but because its an amazing city which is an easy match for London with the added bonus that people are mite more friendly & irn bru can be found within 20 meters at all times. There are some fantastic places to eat in Edinburgh from Michelin stared extravaganzas to pokey dining rooms tucked away serving local dishes. My lovely sister Mrs Robinson who currently resides in 'Auld Reekie' (a Victorian nickname given to Edinburgh due to it's slightly smokey & smelly appearance in by gone times) was in charge & she chose The Bon Vivant on Thistle Street. Mrs Robinson certainly knows her biscuits. Small, cosy & intimate with charming waiting staff & an interesting menu which is constantly on the change. It would be prefect for a little romantic tete a tete or equally for a group occasion.

The menu starts off with 'bites' for a £1 so you can choose a selection to start with or uprade the size to a full starter portion. I went with the following;

Bowers Black Pudding with Apple & Star Anise Chutney. The chutney was on the right side of sweet to accompany the earthy black pudding with crispy on the outside & moist in the middle. Next came the Salmon Mousse on Aran Oatcake. The mousse was a great consistency, but was a little bland for me, i prefer a bit more of a kick. The oatcake was great though. Lastly Salt & Pepper Whitebait with Garlic Mayo, this was the winning starter for me. Hot, salty & perfectly crisp & the garlic mayo was just on the right side of garlicky not obliterating the fresh taste of the whitebait. We also all shared a portion of the Chorizo in Cider with Bread,  with a full flavour & not too oily like many chorizo dishes it reminded me to cook with it more often. 

After such a nice start i didn't pause long before diving into a Fillet Steak with Braised Ox Tongue with Pancetta, handcut Chips & Balsamic Onions, Mr Robinson & PC Tom followed suit (very much steak men) I asked for my steak medium rare & arrived just so which was a good start. The tongue was...interesting but delicious. It had a great flavour but maybe could have done with being cooked slightly longer. Saying that, it was brilliant to see it on the menu & it complimented the beef very well. The chips were as chips should be - hot & fluffy inside. I didn't leave a thing on my plate. Mrs Robinson went for a lighter yet equally delicious choice; Salmon Fillet with Saffron Confit Potatoes, Chorizo & Quince Aioli. It was nicely presented & good way to jazz up a fish which many resturants insist on making the most boring choice.  

I was taking it easy on the vino as we had sunk more than a few cocktails at The Villiger (at our defense the weather was rotten so there was no choice...) so i went for a glass of Malbec, Festivio, Argentina 2006 which went perfectly with the beef. We were running off the Voodoo Rooms to watch a night of cabaret so didn't get a chance to sample the desserts, i managed to hold back the tears, but determined to have two on my return to make up for it.

Details:

The Bon Vivant, 55 Thistle Street, Edinburgh, EH2 1DY. Telephone: 0131 225 3275

info@bonvivantedinburgh.co.uk

www.bonvivantedinburgh.co.uk
Rating: 8/10