London Calling

Just got back from the UK where we spent a couple of weeks with the kids … travelling between Brighton (where we were staying with friends) and London, where we did some sightseeing and shopping.   

 

Sussex countryside

 

 

The family in Trafalgar Square

 

London calling ...

 

 

 

Natural History Museum

The Natural History Museum was amazing … especially their dinosaur collection; plus I got to see a Sebastiao Salgado exhibition called “Genesis”, based on his latest book of photography.   Salgado is a Brazilian documentary photographer who specializes in shooting various aspects of the biodiversity of the planet as well as traditional communities around the world.    There were more than 80 works in the exhibition … many of them truly breathtaking.

 

I also saw the Man Ray exhibition at the National Portrait Gallery which was particularly meaningful for me as I had just finished reading an extraordinary book, “Lee Miller: A Life”, about one of Man Ray’s lovers and professional assistants.    Lee Miller was an American woman born in the early 1900s who at various stages of her life was an actress, Vogue model and photographer …. or as the book cover describes her “ a model, photographer, muse and reporter, sexual adventurer and domestic goddess”! 

 

Lee Miller in the 1930s



'Solarised' portrait of Lee Miller by Man Ray

 

Lee Miller in Hitler's bathtub after the fall
of Munich, 1945

 

She assisted Man Ray in his experiments with early Surrealist photography, was a close confidant of Picasso and during the Second World War became a war correspondent for Vogue magazine covering the horrors of the German concentration camps and the liberation of Paris and Berlin.  

 

The lifestyle of her clique surrounding the Surrealist and Modernist painters and writers of the pre-WW2 years make the Swinging 60s sound very conservative!   And in the latter part of her life she was also a gourmet cook.

 

London was very relaxed and friendly … though maybe because we have being living in India for some time … I was surprised how pasty-faced and unhealthy many of the Brits looked … and also how many people still smoked furiously at all times of the day!

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

We had some great food and attended Brighton’s annual food festival on the beachfront; reminded me of the St Kilda festivals we used to go to every year in Melbourne.    Lots of beer and stout, and tents selling food from around the world!

Tamasin Day-Lewis's Classic Chicken Pie recipe

 

When we got back I cooked this chicken pie to remind us of Britain.   The recipe is from Irish food writer Tamasin Day Lewis (sister of Daniel) and it requires you to make the savoury shortcrust pastry as well as the delicious filling.   Great taste and a recipe I am going to make again very soon.

Making the pie crust

 

The chicken, leek & vegetable filling

The covered pie ready for baking

 

Classic Chicken Pie from Tamasin Day Lewis's cookbook "Tarts with Tops On "

 

Ingredients:

 

1.5 kg chicken   mix of carrots, celery, onions & herbs   2 carrots sliced into medium dice   2 stalks of celery, chopped   2 leeks, washed and sliced   2 red onions, peeled & quartered   55g butter   55g plain flour   150 ml milk   150 ml chicken stock (use the poaching liquid from chicken)   150 ml cream   sprig of parsley & coriander, chopped   salt & pepper   quantity of short crust pastry (use a favourite or familiar recipe)   1 beaten egg for glaze

 

Method:

     

Put chicken in pot with various loose vegetables for adding flavour.   Cover with water & bring to boil, scimming off scum on surface.   Poach covered for 45 - 60 minutes, turning chicken over half way.  

 

Make pastry according to recipe, shape into ball and leave in fridge covered for at least 30 minutes.

Steam vegetables in order of cooking time ... first carrots, then celery, onions & leeks ... steam for 5 mins.   Heat oven to 180C.  

 

Remove chicken from pot & after cooling remove skin & bones and tear meat into long strips.  (Use the skin & bones to put into stock.)

 

Make a roux with the butter & flour, gently heating and stirring. then add hot milk & hot chicken stock, stirring until you have a thick satiny sauce.   Cook long enough to get rid of flour taste & then stir in cream.   Remove from  heat and when cool add fresh herbs, chicken and vegetables.

 

Line a tart tin with 2/3rds of the pastry and spoon in the filling.   Cover with remaining 1/3rd of pastry and crimp the edges to seal pie.   Brush the top with the beaten egg.   Cut a cross in middle of pie to allow steam to escape.  

 

Bake about 1 hour until pastry is golden brown, then cover the top with greaseproof paper and cook a further 15 mins.   After removing from oven leave to rest for 15 mins before cutting & serving.

 

Only needs a fresh salad to accompany!

 

Sign in "Taj the Grocer" food shop, Brighton

                                      

Tony saab/Hyderabad   May 2012