Hello, What's This Recipes Blog?

No - this isn't really a stand-alone recipes blog. It's an appendix of my food blog: Aidan Brooks: Trainee Chef containing links to all my special recipe posts. These are in a separate file because they have a different format from the main section.

That's why this looks odd - it's not meant to be read chronologically but as a series of hyperlinked articles. It would be best to check out my food blog, but you are very welcome to browse here if you want.

My Favourite Recipes

Me, plating up at Westminster Kingsway CollegeRecipes are not really my thing. As someone training as a professional chef, I'm concerned with developing my creativity, techniques, skills and knowledge of produce, rather than my ability to copy the cooking of others. Once you learn the principles behind cooking, recipes become merely checklists - in the industry these are known as specification sheets. These are used to assist the ordering process, as a basis for costings and as aides-mémoire for forgetful chefs and guidelines for stagières. Because I don't cook from recipes myself, there's a certain irony in my publishing a recipes section on my blog. However, when I started this blog I found myself producing photo-recipes to illustrate posts about my home cooking and work at college. So in this section I've indexed these photo-recipes and provided links to them, along with a few others without photos.

Me, plating up at Comerç 24You'll notice that I tend not to be very precise about quantities (and sometimes about ingredients). The closest analogy I can come up with is from the world of music. Many performers spend their lives valiantly attempting to reproduce notes as documented in the sheet music. That is not to denigrate such efforts. The best classical performers make wonderful music and add their own unique colour and feeling to their output. But it's a search for reproducible perfection. I play jazz, or at least I try to. I like to extemporise, taking my cooking exactly where my mood dictates. Each time I cook a dish it will be different - recognisable as the same dish, but reflecting the mood of the moment. My toolset comprises my knowledge of ingredients, my techniques and my palate. With these invaluable friends in my kitchen I can close the cookbooks and make music.

I've separated the recipes along classic lines because that's the way most people expect to find them, although personally I'm not really interested in food that conforms to the classical courses of French haute cuisine - I'm more into tapas-style eating for everyday meals and full tasting menus when it comes to fine dining experiences.

Appetizers, soups and sauces
Butternut soup with shiitakeButternut Soup with ShiitakeGreen cauliflower espumaGreen Cauliflower EspumaGreen seasoningGreen Seasoning
Latkes with apple sauce and sour creamLatkes With Apple Sauce And Sour CreamOkra and cumin soupOkra And Cumin SoupPa amb tomàquetPa Amb Tomàquet

Fish and seafood dishes
Amaretto flambéed seafoodAmaretto Flambéed SeafoodArroz negro con allioliArroz Negro Con AllioliBacalhau à braz de HackneyBacalhau À Braz De Hackney
Cockles with amaretto and coconut riceCockles With Amaretto And Coconut RiceCoquille Saint-PatriceCoquille Saint-PatriceHake with pil-pilHake With Pil-Pil
Lobster with baby asparagus & mango-chilli mousseLobster With Baby Asparagus & Mango-Chilli MousseMulled wine poached cod & lemon-scented asparagus on creamy nam pla spinach polentaMulled Wine-Poached Cod & Lemon-Scented Asparagus On Creamy Nam Pla Spinach PolentaMussels with guinness and garlicMussels With Guinness And Garlic
Salmon fish cakesSalmon Fish CakesSeafood and avocado makiSeafood And Avocado MakiSmoked salmon and poached egg on toastSmoked Salmon And Poached Egg On Toast
Thai white asparagus soup, lobster & curry saltThai White Asparagus Soup, Lobster & Curry SaltTofu makizushiTofu Makizushi

Meat and mixed dishes
Atlas mountain soup, Hackney styleAtlas Mountain Soup, Hackney StyleBlack sausage and cockles with patatas bravasBlack Sausage And Cockles With Patatas BravasCatalan steakCatalan Steak
Chicken burgers and chunky chips with wakame and shallot mayonnaiseChicken Burgers and Chunky Chips With Wakame And Shallot MayonnaiseCinnamon pineapple pork with kale bubble & squeakCinnamon Pineapple Pork With Kale Bubble & SqueakCod and jamón Ibérico with mandarin & basilCod And Jamón Ibérico With Mandarin & Basil
Goulash (testing three different paprikas)Goulash (Testing Three Different Paprikas)Hungarian paprika chickenHungarian Paprika ChickenMallard breast with red cabbage, ginger & marmaladeMallard Breast With Red Cabbage, Ginger & Marmalade
Oxtail with cauliflower foam and truffleOxtail With Cauliflower Foam And TrufflePapaya, garlic & anise marinated lamb rack with panch phoron kabocha and creamy garlic saucePapaya, Garlic & Anise Marinated Lamb Rack With Panch Phoron Kabocha And Creamy Garlic SauceQuick and easy duck à l'orangeQuick And Easy Duck À L'Orange
Slow-braised neck of lamb with mélange viande, chantenay carrots, pearl onions and roasted maris pipersSlow-Braised Neck Of Lamb With Mélange Viande, Chantenay Carrots, Pearl Onions And Roasted Maris PipersSteak au poivreSteak Au PoivreSurf and turf chicken livers with soy spinach and wild riceSurf And Turf Chicken Livers With Soy Spinach And Wild Rice
Trini pelau (rice, chicken and pigeon peas)Trini Pelau (Rice, Chicken And Pigeon Peas)Trinidad stew chickenTrinidad Stew ChickenTuscan spicy sausages with leek & onionTuscan Spicy Sausages With Leek & Onion

Two-day marinaded brown stew chicken and wild rice with sesame sautéed broccoli
Two-Day Marinaded Brown Stew Chicken And Wild Rice With Sesame Sautéed Broccoli

Vegetarian dishes
Chèvre and medjool saladChèvre And Medjool SaladQuinoa taboulehQuinoa TaboulehShiitake and saffron risottoShiitake And Saffron Risotto
Soft saffron gel with purée and air of beetrootSoft Saffron Gel With Purée And Air Of BeetrootVegetable noodle soupVegetable Noodle Soup

Desserts

Apple caviarApple CaviarApple sauce with rhubarb compote and soured creamApple Sauce With Rhubarb Compote And Soured CreamBlueberry and goats' milk pana cottaBlueberry And Goats' Milk Pana Cotta
Catalan chocolate, olive oil & saltCatalan Chocolate, Olive Oil & SaltElderberry baked AlaskaElderberry Baked AlaskaGluten-free Christmas cakeGluten-Free Christmas Cake
Hazelnut pralinesHazelnut pralinesRose water caviarRose Water CaviarRhubarb ice creamRhubarb Ice Cream
Twice-churned watermelon and coconut ice creamTwice-Churned Watermelon And Coconut Ice CreamWattleseed and lemon myrtle rolled PavlovaWattleseed And Lemon Myrtle Rolled Pavlova