4317 August 2019 THE WEEKFood &DrinkLEISUREWhat the experts recommend
The Dumpling Tree8Homerton Street,
Cambridge (01223-247715)
Once, we Brits talked simply of “Chinese”
cooking, says Tom Parker Bowles in The
Mail on Sunday–asifan“ancient, vast
and thrillingly varied” collection of
regional cuisines could be reduced down
into ahomogeneous whole. Now we
recognise the diverse delights of Cantonese
dim sum and char siu; the fiery, numbing
charms of Sichuan; the sweet, oily
Shanghai-style, and so on.Aregion that’s
still under-represented in the UK, though,
is Yunnan, in China’s southwest. Thus
my lunch at this cracking Yunnanese
restaurant in Cambridge was both an
“education” anda“delight”. Rubing –
agoat’s milk cheese that’s likeamore
refined halloumi–has been pan-fried and
dragged throughamixture of chilli oil and
vinegar: it’sa“revelation”. Chewy dried
beef comes with fruity dried chillies; tilapia
wallows inadark scarlet chilli oil with
peppers and extra chillies. And deep-fried
potatoes, mixed inacopper pot with fluffy
rice and deep-fried hunks of the “famed
Yunnan ham”–rich, intense and
splendidly salty–isa“dish of pure
genius”.About £20ahead.ParrillanCoal Drops Yard, Stable Street,
London N1 (020-7018 3339)
Al fresco summer dining isalovely idea,
but all too often–int his country, at any
rate –itmeans overcrowded roadsideterraces and grumpy staff, says Tim
Hayward in the FT. So three cheers for
Parrillan, inanew development behind
King’s Cross, which is quite simply the
most “brilliantly designed outdoor eating
space I’ve encountered in the UK”.
They’ve managed to set it at such a
height that you can see only treetops, and
overhead isawooden pergola that cleverly
conceals plate glass andaheating system
that keeps diners dry and warm all year
round. To match this charming setting,
the tapas is Barrafina-level stunning. Our
brilliant starters include sparklingly sharp
pan con tomate anda“quite shockingly
good”escalivada(a smoky salad of coldgrilled veg). The mains, you are invited to
cook yourself atatabletop charcoal grill:
we had butterflied lamb kidneys, Iberico
pork andaplump carabineros prawn
that was so big it had “pretensions to
lobsterdom”. All are wonderful. “Go
at once,Ibeseech you.”Dishes £4-£16.LittleFrench2B North View, Westbury
Park, Bristol (01179-706276)
If Iwere to findarestaurant this good in
Chartres, Orléans or Toulouse, or “any of
the other smaller French cities in which I
like to hang out, I’d be ecstatic”, says
Marina O’Loughlin in The Sunday Times.
To find it this side of the Channel is “close
to nirvana”. The “finest French food I’ve
eaten inalong time” is being served at this
sensational new restaurant in Bristol, by
chef Freddy Bird and his French wife,
Nessa. Every dish “wallows and glories
in the excellence of the raw ingredients”:
hand-chopped steak tartare with sunshine-
yellow egg yolk laced through; sweet surf
clams “partying with the grassy reek of
just-harvested garlic”. Duck comes with
tiny cubed and fried garlic and rosemary
potatoes, given perfumed sweetness from
the new season’s Provençal black figs.
The showstopper isavast John Dory
roasted whole withatarragon sauce.
Or maybe it’s the “unmissable” chips.
One pal suggests they might be “too
crispy; he is now dead to me”.Dinner for
four, including service and drinks, £178.Parrillan: “brilliantly designed”- Preheat the oven to 160°C, and lineabaking
tray with greaseproof paper. - First make the syrup. Combine the raspberries
and sugar inasmall saucepan, place overalow
heat and stir until the sugar has completely
dissolved. Cook forafurther 2-3 minutes until
the raspberries have turned to mush. - Transfer the raspberries toasieve overalarge
bowl and push them through the mesh, using the
back ofaspoon, to createathick, syrup-like
consistency. Leave to cool completely. - To make the meringue, place the egg whites in
alarge, very clean and dry bowl (or the bowl of a
stand mixer), and use an electric hand whisk (or the whisk
attachment on the stand mixer) to whisk until they form the
consistency of firm peaks. Gradually add the caster sugar,
atablespoon atatime, whisking constantly until the mixture
is thick and glossy and the sugar has completely dissolved.- Then add the cornflour, vinegar and rosewater
and gently fold in until just combined. Spoon the
meringue mix onto the lined baking tray to form
around and use the back ofawooden spoon to
shape the meringue intoanest. Usingateaspoon,
drizzle half the raspberry syrup around the
meringue to createaripple effect. - Place the meringue in the oven, reduce the
oven temperature to 140°C, and bake for 1½
hours. Then turn off the oven, open the oven door
and leave the meringue to cool completely. - When the meringue has cooled and you are
ready to serve, start assembling the filling–you
don’t want to add it too far in advance, as it will soak into the
meringue. Gently whip the cream inabowl until it thickens and
then whisk in the icing sugar. Fold in the rosewater. Spoon the
filling into the centre of the meringue, arrange the raspberries
on top and drizzle over the remaining raspberry syrup.
- Then add the cornflour, vinegar and rosewater
Raspberry and rosewater pavlovaFor the raspberry syrup:100g fresh raspberries 1tbsp caster sugar for the meringue:9egg whites, at room temperature
500g caster sugar 2tsps cornflour 1tsp white wine vinegar 1tbsp rosewater for the filling:500ml whipping cream
1tbsp icing sugar 1tbsp rosewater 200g fresh raspberriesThis is my all-time favourite summer dessert, says Clodagh McKenna. It is so decadent in flavour and looks absolutely fabulous –
everyone loves it!Ilove the flavour of rosewater, and its gentle floral taste works perfectly with the light and fluffy pavlova.Imake
the pavlova the evening before and leave it to cool overnight. This dish also works well with strawberries or peaches.Taken fromClodagh’s Suppersby Clodagh McKenna, published by Kyle Books at £20.
To buy from The Week Bookshop for £15.99, call 020-3176 3835 or visit theweek.co.uk/bookshop.©G
REG FUNNELL; DORA KAZMIERAK