wholefood kitchen

Last weekend we decided to have a house ‘Tagine-off:’ Chicken vs Fish. I took on the Chicken dish, Ollie the Fish, with Rakhi coming on board to take care of the bejewelled couscous and yoghurt dressing.

Round 1: Preparation for the Chicken Tagine, all elements assembled. A beautiful Organic Chicken courtesy of the Stocks Farm boys at the Stoke Newington Farmers Market, accompanied by various ingredients: Onions, Garlic, Ginger, Preserved Lemons, Green Olives, Fresh Chervil and Coriander, Turmeric and Raz el Hanout spice.

Round 2: Marinading the Chicken. I cut the Chicken cut into pieces, combined it with most other ingredients, and left it to sit for several hours.

Round 3: After roughly two hours of gentle stove-top Tagine cooking, here was the result. A deliciously tender, falling-off-the-bone Chicken Olive & Lemon Tagine.

Ollie gets to work on the Fish Tagine, massaging the marinade into chunks of Grey Mullet, freshly bought from the Stoke Newington Market fishmonger.

The finished fish Tagine, with precooked Green Peppers and a rich Tomato Sauce. Needless to say, there were no losers in this contest.

A delightful meal from the hands, and heart, of Nicky Clinch. Rice with Barley and Gomasio sprinkle; Tempeh Stew; Steamed Sprouted Broccoli; Parsnip Mash; pressed Carrot Daikon and Sauerkraut Salad and Nori garnish.

Beautifully fresh Red Snapper fillet pan-fried with a dusting of Rice Flour, served on a bed of Rice with a pressed salad of Apple, Fennel and Dill in a Lemon Vinaigrette, and a Parsnip and Kale croquette.

A rich, hearty Tempeh stew with Carrots & Onions; Short Grain Rice with Barley & Chestnuts; Kimpira Squash with Toasted Pumpkin Seeds; Blanched Kale and Nori condiment, from the kitchen of Nicky Clinch.

Whole Baked Sea Bass; Short Grain Rice, Red Rice and Barley with Currants, Shiitake Mushrooms and Toasted Almonds; Carrot Ribbons with Lemon Juice, Olive Oil and fresh Coriander; Blanched Savoy Cabbage and Kale sauteed with Sesame Oil and Toasted Pumpkin Seeds; all dressed with a Salsa Verde courtesy of a River Cafe recipe picked up at Fred & Fran’s.

Pollock Steaks baked in Olive Oil, Sea Salt, fresh Thyme, Cyprus Potatoes and Lemon Juice.

The final meal prepared on Saturday evening of  Jean Torné’s Seasonal Kitchen class. Red Rice and Confit of Fennel, Panfried Gurnard, Vegetable Tagliatelle, finished off with a Kiwi Tart.

Green Tea Soba Noodle Broth; Bok Choy sauteed with Sesame Oil, Shoyu and Toasted Sesame Seeds; Blanched Pumpkin, Deep-fried Lotus Root and Chickweed with Lemon Vinaigrette.

Squid Tempura with Chickpea flour batter with Green Nori Sprinkles.

Green Tea Soba Noodle Broth with Shiitake and Enoki Mushrooms, Chickweed and Scallions.

AKA Aduki Bean Stew, topped with Sweet Potato mash, with a few extras. Coconut Oil, a little Rice Syrup. Courtesy of Nicky’s kitchen.

Cod Fillet baked with Ginger and Shoyu…

Served with Rice & Barley with Onions and Arame, Squash Tempura and Chard with Sauerkraut. From the wholefood kitchen of Nicky Clinch.