The Week UK - 14.03.2020

41

14 March 2020 THE WEEK

Food & Drink

LEISURE

What the experts recommend

MeiMeiUnit52,BoroughMarket

Kitchen,JubileePlace,LondonSE1

(meimei.co.uk)

ElizabethHaighisarguably“London’s

mostpromisingyoungchef,”saysTim

HaywardintheFT.Afterwinninga

MichelinstaratPidgin,shelefttoset

upherownrestaurant.Shehasn’tyet

managedthat,butyoucanvisither

open-aircounterinBoroughMarketand

“experiencehergeniusforpocketchange”.

TheSingaporean-inspiredmenuincludes

suchplayfulsidedishesaskayatoast

(essentially,whitebreadwithcoconut

marmalade)and“carrotcake”(pounded

daikonsetintoblocksandstir-friedwith

akindof“disintegratingomelette”).

However,the“setpiece,theraisond’être”

ofMeiMeiistheHainanesechickenrice”.

BelovedacrosssoutheastAsia,thisdish

involvespoachingawholechickenand

thencoolingit inanicedbrinebefore

servingitwithstock-moistenedriceand

garnishes. Usually,it’sconsideredrather

a“homely”affair,but“dearGod”, put

together thisskilfully,it’soutofthis

world.Lunch£3.75-£12.50.

VuurtoreneilandBuiten-IJ,Holland

(+3 120 362 16 64 )

Thismagicalrestaurantisabout“anhour

fromAmsterdambywater”, says Marina

O’LoughlininTheSundayTimes:it’son

atinyisland, and itsnametranslatesat

Lighthouse Island. Lunchbegins with

cheese and “slices ofblood-dark sausage”

aboardthe“jaunty”littleboatthat takes

usto the island. Then,inthe“semi-ruined

fortress”that istherestaurant’swinter

venue(insummer,itrepairsto anearby

“glass-walled structure”), wemake our

waythrough a“multi-course setmenu”

as curiousas itisdelicious. Jerusalem

artichokecomeswith“mermaid’sfingers

of greenseaweedinagedsoy”;wildduck

is smokedin hayandthenroasted,and

servedwithbarbecuedendive.The

kitchen,whichcooksentirelywithout

electricity,infuseseverythingwithasense

of the “extr aordinary”:evenbreadand

“aged butter”is“oddandwonderful”.

On the journey back,there’saspiced

cake andan“evillypotentDutch spirit”

–addingfurtherto theatmosphere of

“well-fed, bewitched jollity”.s 85 per

personincludingreturnboattrip,

aperitifandsnacks.

TheGreedyGoosePrystenHouse,

FinewellStreet,Plymouth(01752- 252 001)

Ifyou’replanningtovisitPlymouthfor

thisyear’sMayflowerquatercentenary,

Irecommendyoumaketimeforameal

attheTheGreedyGoose,saysWilliam

SitwellinTheDailyTelegraph.Housed

inoneofthecity’soldestbuildings–a

16thcenturymerchant’shouse–itis

afittingplaceinwhichtoconsiderthe

“102bravesouls”whosetsailforthe

NewWorldin 1620 .Theinteriorisa

bitgloomy,butthere’s“warmhospitality

tobefoundinthismedievalspace”:even

our 15 -month-oldson–farfromthe

tidiestofdiners–elicitedregularsmiles

fromthewaiters.Thefood,meanwhile,

wasexcellent:Ihada“deliciouslittle

starterofsmokedsalmononcharred

brioche”,andmywifelovedher

Jerusalemartichokesoup.Thencame

a“beautiful”maincourseofporkbelly,

accompaniedbyan“almostsillynumber”

ofvegetables,eachinadifferentpot.It

wassoplentifulthateventheleftovers

couldhavefeda“shipf ulofstarving

pilgrims”.Sundaylunchfortwo:£ 60

excludingdrinksandservice.

Vuurtoreneiland: “bewitching”

• Preheatthe oven to 200°C.


• Cutthe aubergine in half lengthways, then
  quarter each half to create eight full-length
  wedges. Fry the aubergine wedges inahot
  ovenproof frying pan/skillet withagenerous
  glug of olive oil for5minutes on each side,
  until browned. Remove them from the pan
  and set aside.


• Addthe onion to the pan withalittle more
  olive oil and fry for5minutes ,then add the
  garlic and cook for1minute more. Add the ras el
  hanout, smoked paprika, tomato purée and sugar
  and stir in. Follow with the tomato passata and
  season well with salt and pepper. Arrange the
  aubergine wedges in the sauce and leave to

simmer for 5-10 minutes, after which time taste

the sauce, adjust the seasoning to taste and

remove the pan from the heat.

• Make six small gaps in between the curled
  aubergine wedges and crack the eggs, allowing
  alittle of the white to fall away, then pour the
  eggs into the gaps. Sprinkle over half the feta,
  drizzle with olive oil and place the pan in the
  preheated oven for7minutes formedium-
  cooked eggs.


• Remove from the oven, drizzle withalittle
  more olive oil, scatter over the coriander,
  remaining feta and chilli slices and addapinch
  of salt. Serve with toasted sourdough bread on
  the side to mop up the juices.

Smoky aubergine shakshuka

Serves3asamain,6asasharer

1aubergine 1small onion, diced 1garlic clove, finely sliced 1tbsp ras el hanout

½tsp smoked paprika 1tbsp tomato purée 1tsp sugar 500ml tomato passata 6eggs 50g feta, crumbled

ahandful of fresh coriander leaves, roughly chopped (optional) fresh red or green chilli, sliced olive oil, for frying and drizzling

salt and freshly ground black pepper a25cm ovenproof frying pan/skillet

Iregularly serve this at brunch for friends, says Theo Michaels, and it never fails to satisfy that mid-morning craving for

somethingalittle spicy. If you don’t havealarge enough skillet, you can simply divide the mixture and cook it in two

smaller pans. Serve with toasted sourdough andjoie de vivre!

Taken fromShareby Theo A. Michaels, published by Ryland Peters&Small at £16.99.

To buy from The Week Bookshop for £14.99, call 020-3176 3835 or visit theweek.co.uk/bookshop.

©M

IKE ROELOFS