Sketch The Lecture Room

Visited this restaurant to celebrate our forgotten wedding anniversary. 

http://www.sketch.uk.com/venue_Lecture_Room.php?menu=1 

The chic and somewhat spicy deco in a high ceiling room was a great ambience. 

We had their testing menu.

I liked the sea urchin bisque the best. I was bit disappointed with the main lamb with Vadouvan Spice and garlic.

http://www.sketch.uk.com/menus/Lecture_Room_Library_Tasting_Menus.pdf 

The natural light from the decorative dome ceiling provides the Lecture Room a warmth

The sea urchin bisque

It was an entertaining place (including the toilet) and a great restaurant.

Tasting menu: 95 pounds per person

plus wine

Strawberry Mousse  

Ingredients

• 300g Fresh strawberries (including four or five strawberries for decoration)
• Leaf gelatin 6-7g
• 100cc of fresh milk 
• 50cc of condense milk 
• 100cc of single cream
• 50g of caster sugar
• 1 tablespoon of lemon juice

Directions

1. Soak gelatin in plenty of cold water for 5-6 minutes then drain the water through a net and squeeze extra water.

2. Add all the ingredients in a mixer. Blend it to smooth.

3. Filter the mousse with a dense net to attain the silky texture.

4. Pour the mousse into the cup and chill in the fridge at least for 2 hours.

5. Top with fresh strawberries, whipped cream and other fruits to serve.

Total time to prepare: 15 minutes

Total cost: 2.5-3 pounds 

Broad Beans Recipe 2: Rice

Broad beans and oriental sticky rice is a perfect combination. Just add cooked and peeled broad beans into warm rice with some salt.

It is very nice in rice balls.

Seasonal fresh green colour of broad beans entertains the dinning table.

Better to be consumed within the day as the fresh colour doesn't stay long. 

Alternatively broad beans rice can be  stir-fried.

I added a tablespoon of curry sauce (left over as well) to stir-fry and topped with fresh tomatoes for toddler bento.

Broad Beans Recipe 1: Spaghetti 

The season of broad beans has begun. I love spaghetti with broad beans. With the effort to peel the soft skin, the dish becomes very sophisticated. 

Directions for Broad Beans Spaghetti

1. Remove the beans from from the shell.

2. Boil Broad Beans in plenty of water for 3-4 minutes. Then drain the water with a net and put the beans in cold water.

3. Remove the soft skin of each bean. It'll take your time so nice to do with the company of TV.

4. Chop onion and garlic into small pieces and fry with plenty of olive oil. Boil pasta in al dente condition. Add pasta and  broad beans into the pan mix with all ingredients. Add salt and extra olive.

5. Top some Parmesan Cheese and Truffle Oil to serve.

The toddler also enjoyed this seasonal dish. It was nicely chopped with the noodle cutter brought from Japan!

Mmmmmm, Yummy!!

Total time to prepare: 25-40 minutes (depends on the amount of broad beans to peel)
Total cost: 3 Pounds (2 for Broad Beans, 0.7 for Pasta and 0.3 for other ingredients)

Toddler Bento Archive+ (Sometime 21-30 May)

• Panda Rice with sour plum cheek
• Grilled teriyaki salmon with dill
• Potato, asparagus and halloumi cheese butter and soy sauce saute
• Cherry tomatoes

• Salmon was soaked with soy sauce and mirin over night.
• It was topped with mayonnaise for grilling  to attain rich taste.

• Rice with sour plum
• Hash Potato with seaweed powder
• Spinach, Carrot, asparagus and sausage saute with butter and soy sauce
• Halloumi cheese and cucumber

• Panda rice with Sour plum cheek
• Hash potato with Sea weed powder
• Cucumber Salad
• Home Made Chicken Ham
• Spinach, Carrot and Asparagus saute with Butter and Soy sauce

• Hamburger with Tomato and Red Wine Sauce
• Rice with Sour Plum
• Spinach Saute
• Potato and Carrot saute with Fresh Tomato and Dill 
• Cucumber and Halloumi Cheese Salad

Similar ingredients for Mr. husband's bento.

• Curry and Broad Beans Rice with Fresh Tomato
• Teriyaki Salmomn
• Carrot, spinach and avocado saute
• Cucumber and Halloumi Cheese Salad

• Rice with Crushed Dried Sour Plum Leaf
• Karaage-Japanese Chicken Deepfry
• Potato saute with fresh Dill and Tomato
• Carrot, Avocado and Cucumber salad with Mayonnaise 

Salty Eggs

Given the opportunity to have a picnic. 
I prepared:

• Karaage (Japanese Style Fried Chicken),
• Salty Eggs,
• Onigiri (Rice balls) with broad beans and sour plum and
• Strawberry mousse.

Next to Karaage, salty egg is also a popular lunchbox item or a beer nibble. 

This is very easy to prepare, economical and promisingly tasty!!

Just remember to prepare it in previous night (or longer advance) to season eggs well.

Salty Egg Ingredients

• Eggs
• 1 tablespoon of soy sauce
• 1 tablespoon of sugar
• 1.5 teaspoon of oyster sauce
• 1/2 teaspoon of chinese five spices (if available)
• 250-400cc of water

Directions

1. Boil eggs as you like and peel the shell. 

It is easier to peel egg shells in water.

2. Boil all the seasoning with water and allow it cool.

3. Put eggs and the seasoning in a container with a lid or in a reclosable bag. Leave it over a night or longer. 

Time to prepare: 15 minutes including boiling and peeling eggs

Toddler Bento Archive (14, 15, 16, 19, 20 May)

• Tomato&Red Wine Humburg Steak
• Carrot Saute 
• Spinach Saute
• Potato glatin
• Tomato&Avocado salad

• Fried Bihon (Click to see the recipe)
• Corn, Broad beans and halloumi saute
• Spinach with sweet and soy sesame sauce

• Rice with Salmon flake and Seaweed
• Carrot, avocado, bacon and avocado butter and soy sauce saute
• Hash potato

A new bento box

• Fried rice with spring onion and Karaage (Japanese style fried chicken) 
• Hash potato
• Corn, carrot and spinach saute
• Tomato and avocado salad

Karaage (click for the recipe) is the leftover of the previous day's picnic

• Bread pudding 
• Potato, sausage and tomato saute with soy sauce
• Carrot saute 

Bread Pudding Recipe

1. Soak bite sized bread in the beaten egg and milk.
2. Prepare caramel in a baking sheet over a baking tray.

3. Cut sultana into small and add into the pudding.
4. Bake the pudding for 10-15 mints over 160C in the oven.