Thanks Mandy!

a humbling testimonial from Mandy Farrow.

Biscotti; Kopi O Kelly; Limoncello sorbet

another recipe I found from the my vault of recipes.....

This was a recipe that I refined... over the course of 5-6 attempts (mainly the biscotti). My sister Ary, after watching some Hong Kong TV drama where the female lead decided to 'win the heart' of the male lead 'through his stomach' by presenting him with a jar of biscotti.... naturally, she asked me for a recipe and I ended up making the damn things for her..... Whether or not hearts were won through my bisocttis, I;d never know but I would've certainly been happy to receive them.

Salad of Flaked white fish, roasted sweet pepper; sweet soy, ginger and tarragon dressing; soy vinegar sautéed baby Pak choy & cabbage.

There are certain dishes that are unassuming by how it sounds, tastes or looks. There's not even a back story to it that can paint the picture of 'strength in mediocrity'. They simply do the job of giving you just enough stimulation to not dislike it, but really didn't make enough of an imprint in your mind that you'd even remember ever having it.

So why am I putting it my first ever posting of a recipe online, and possibly in my first ever book? WHY????

BECAUSE:

• the same reason why extras are needed on a film set...
• frames are used to adorn a masterpiece...
• humans are born with eyebrows, tail bones, appendixes and men with nipples...
• etc etc etc...

they serve a purpose however small, insignificant, pointless and dull that may be.

This dish most certainly ain't dull but leaves a great deal for imagination. It requires very little skill or finesse in it's preparation; and it most definitely won't change your life when presented to you. But somehow.... I like it.

Ingredients

Stir fry

quarter of a small white cabbage (shredded to 2 mm thick chiffonade)
4 baby pak choys washed
1 clove of garlic peeled and green shoot in the centre removed, and slived thinly
1 whole small red onion finely sliced
1 tbspoon of sesame seed oil
5 tbsp of rice wine vinegar
5 tbsp of light soya sauce
175 ml of mirin
1 inch of root ginger

Salad

1 red pepper
1yellow pepper roasted, skinned and thinly sliced
100g mixed rocket, baby spinach, lollo rosso and frisée... ( or any salad leaved really)
2 heaped tbsp of sesame seeds toasted

1 head of fennel shaved thinly and marinated in the juice of 2 oranges (or just enough to cover the lot

Onion crisps

Dressing

10g dill
20g tarragon finely chopped

1 tbsp ginger oil

3 heaped tbsp of sweet soya sauce

4 tbsp olive oil

Fish and steaming liquer

600 g cos

175 ml mirin

1 bay leaf

2 curry leaves

4 peppercorn