tomatoes, mozzarella, anchovies, breadcrumbs

Seeing as burrata with tomatoes was the last thing I committed to paper, why not continue the theme I thought. Dull as it may seem, the simplicity of adding sharpness and salt to a tomato is a wonderful thing to do. As this is a baked number, plum tomatoes tend to hold their shape better than the majority of the round varieties, but don't let that stop you if round ones are what you have.

Baked tomatoes with mozzarella, anchovies and breadcrumbs

Serves 4

12 plum tomatoes

175g fresh breadcrumbs
8 anchovy fillets
2 large cloves garlic
a good handful of basil leaves
a ball of mozzarella
6 tblsp olive oil

Chop the anchovies, peel and finely chop the garlic and cut the mozzarella into small dice.

Preheat the oven to 220°c/gas 7. Slice the tomatoes in half lengthways and scoop the seeds into a bowl. Place the tomatoes skin-side down in a roasting tin so that they nudge up against one another.

Mix the tomato innards with the breadcrumbs, anchovies, garlic, basil, mozzarella and two tablespoons of the olive oil.

Season the stuffing with salt and black pepper, and pile the filling into the tomato halves. Pour over the remaining olive oil and bake for 25 minutes until the filling is golden.

dragon fruit; no

 

How to ruin a perfectly good fruit salad

 

Step 1; Cut up some wonderful seasonal fruit

Step 2; Add dragon fruit

Hey Bingo; You’re done

 

Words cannot do justice to how deeply I mistrust the dragon fruit. I will give this a go, but do bear in mind every time I even have to type 'dragon fruit' a little bit of me dies inside, and I need to go have a lie down.

A more pointless waste of space on the fruit laden tables of the market I've yet to witness. Give me the heady aromas of a durian over this piece of scentless nonsense and you'll see how desperate a situation we have found ourselves in here. I'll even take a slice of almost equally pointless star fruit before engaging in a lump of this nonsense.

I've taken to a declaration of me being highly allergic to the fruit now, to the point where, if challenged, I will claim to carry a little medical pack not unlike an insulin survival kit. Only my syringe and small penfill vial is charged with orange juice or coconut water or just anything far more palatable for that matter.

Papaya and avocado salad

Vinaigrette for 12 salads
½ cup brown sugar
1 cup water
Large pinch salt
2 tsp red pepper flakes
½ cup lemon juice
½ cup rapeseed oil

Mix sugar, water and salt for five minutes. Add pepper flakes and lemon juice.  Add oil, and check for taste, it may need more lemon juice and salt

For each salad
⅓ large avocado cut into large chunks or slices
¾ cup ripe papaya chunks or slices
2 tblsp shredded basil
2 tblsp shredded mint
1 cup greens, tatsoi and mizuna
Little salt and pepper

Toss the greens with a little salt and pepper and a good splash of vinaigrette.  Place on a plate. Toss the avocado, papaya, both herbs with the rest of the vinaigrette. Scatter the fruit on top of the greens.

If the fruits are too ripe do not dress them but place them on top of the dressed greens and drizzle vinaigrette on them.


 

shaukeiwan market and some fu yung

 

Living a stone's throw from Bowrington Road market, I'm quite spoiled really when it comes to my local food shopping. Jam-packed with the full collection fish, meat, bbq, fruit and vegetables; there's little need to venture any further for what's best on offer in my neighbourhood.

 

Though I can find pretty much anything you’re looking for here, with the main attraction being the seafood, I do love a trip east to Shaukeiwan for a different look and feel.

 

Not quite on the way home in the evening (Bowrington Road is the place to pick up a cheeky late evening char siu fan) but easily worth the trek if nothing else but to top up the fruit bowl and vegetable drawer.

 

Absolutely essential for a dose of the real Hong Kong; Skip the supermarket and hit up the wet market. You'll save a ton of money on food while getting the best quality meat and produce the city has to offer.

 

Fu yung with market vegetables

 

Serves 2

 

As I understand it, Fu Yung means 'pretty face' in Chinese; it is a sort of scrambled egg omelette. You can also add cooked meats or prawns or toasted nuts to this dish, but don't be greedy and add too much or there won't be enough egg to bind with the other ingredients.

 

2 tsp olive oil

1 spring onion, finely sliced

50g carrots, cut into 2.5 cm strips

125g fresh beansprouts

50g Chinese flowering chives, cut into 2.5cm lengths

pinch of coarse sea salt

1/2 tsp freshly ground black pepper

4 eggs, lightly beaten

 

Heat the oil in a nonstick pan over a high heat, until piping hot, swirling the oil around the pan. Add the spring onion and carrots and stir-fry for a few seconds.

 

Toss in the beansprouts, Chinese chives, salt and pepper and stir. Pour in the eggs and scramble them with the vegetables over a medium to high heat.

 

As the eggs start to set, fold the fu yung over in the middle, move it back into the centre of the pan and continue cooking over a medium to high heat for two minutes. Serve immediately.