#thepicturekitchen

[thepicturekitch]

The Villa Italian

Greeted at the door to a lovely open and airy environment, we were seated straight away by the manager. The tables were understated yet sophisticated and the simple palette of whites ad a deep mahogany wood leave the food and service to sing. The menu presents a wide variety of Italian food and a great selection of antipasti and starters. After a bit of indecision due to the wide variety of delectable dishes I decided to share a fret mist as I particularly love Calamari. We also opted for a half and half 12 inch garlic bread, one side Mexican to add a bit of spice and one side super cheesy. When the food came it was presented with langoustine standing proudly, tasty and crisp. The main was even more impressive as the swordfish was literally the size of my head and tasted so fresh, juicy and meaty all at the same time. I just about managed to finish the thick cut, crispy zucchini chips. Hannah went for the ribeye which she described as succulent & Dale went for a slightly cremated sirloin ( he likes it like that). All served with a healthy portion of salad, selection of sauces and fries to boot.

I’m not sure how I did it but after seeing the dessert fridge & wide selection I went for a chocolate brownie, my it melted in the mouth and I was not disappointed. I can’t wait to return and sample some more of the menu or simply go back for another fresh, crisp mojito. Overall a great place and you certainly get what you pay for.

[thepicturekitch]

The Egg Cafe Liverpool 

I went to the egg cafe as I spotted it's beautiful hand painted decor. The colours were bright and appealing and this certainly represented the food they serve. As we progressed up the winding staircase the anticipation to see what was around the final corner built up. We were not disappointed by the the beautiful Mediterranean feel to the place and nonchalant atmosphere the light from the vintage windows created. Of course the array of dishes that graced the counter caught my eye. Such a variety, from colourful salad, chickpea curry, veggie burgers and even lasagne, I had forgotten all about breakfast! I decided to go for the chickpea curry with a selection of salad ( I know it was only 10 am but I couldn't resist). Charl went for a mix of soup and French toast. I think the guy who brought our food over was astonished at how much we ordered but I assured him the plates would be clear. I was not wrong either. Everything was so delicious especially the French toast. Thick slices of white bread, drenched in honey it was like biting into soft pillows of heaven that had a slight crisp around the edges. I would recommend the egg cafe not just for vegans and vegetarians but if your looking to relax, unwind and get away from a busy city then this is the perfect place to go.

[thepicturekitch]

The Senegalese Markets

I have a passion for clothing with an emotional connection. Garments that enter realms of wonder and enchantment really excite my creative juices. When I was in Africa I was enchanted by a maze of hustle and bussle. A market filled with folded materials guarded by little old women, roofed with tin and lined with eroded walls. Everyday I visited the market with my senegalese sisters, I created relationships with tailors, seamstresses and buyers. I walked through miles of material paved walls and I became entranced in another world of fashion. This experience changed the way I see the fashion world, it made me delve into a trend project using different textures and imagery that I wouldn’t have thought to use before. It’s experiences like this which cement within me an inspiration of culture, religion and surroundings to create beautiful and imaginative things.

[marielouiseavery]

Prawn and spinach frittata

See the full gallery on Posterous

My favourite picnic food is a tortilla or frittata. It all goes back to my first holiday away from my parents when I went to Spain with school friends. We stayed in a very austere youth hostel in a once grand building where we were subject to strict rules of behaviour! The best thing about the hostel were the wonderful packed lunches we were given to take with us for lunch for our day trips. After breakfast we would be presented with a still warm package wrapped in paper with a little oil already leaking through. This was a proper tortilla espanola that was basically just eggs and potatoes cooked in olive oil - a staple of the Spanish tapas. By the time we ate it sitting in some hot and dusty square it had cooled and the flavours had fused to become one of the great classic taste sensations, and one that I have held in mind for more years than I care to remember. The Italian cousin of the Spanish tortilla is the frittata and its main distinction is that the frittata doesn't need to be flipped in the pan - it is finished under the grill.

When making a frittata or tortilla for a picnic I tend to use what I have in the fridge - this was a particularly happy combination.

Prawn and spinach frittata 4 medium potatoes, preferably not new 2 tblsp olive oil 1 onion Handful frozen prawns Baby spinach leaves 6 eggs, beaten 2 tblsp Parmesan, grated Several turns, freshly ground black pepper and salt to taste

Turn the grill on. Peel and dice the potatoes, boil for 10 mins until just cooked. Fry the onion in olive oil without browning until translucent, add the potatoes, prawns and spinach leaves, stir gently to combine and distribute the oil. Gently beat together eggs, Parmesan, pepper, and salt. Pour egg mixture into pan and stir with wooden spatula as little as possible to distribute the ingredients evenly in the eggs.. Cook for 4 to 5 minutes or until the egg mixture has set on the bottom and begins to set up on top. Sprinkle with parsley. Place pan into oven and grill for 3 to 4 minutes, until lightly browned and fluffy. Remove from pan and cut into 6 servings. Serve immediately or leave to cool - makes a brilliant picnic.

NB the rather bright yellow of the frittata in these photographs was because I was short of olive oil and used Carotino Palm Oil which is a rather bright yellow orange colour!

Shot on Olympus EP-1 with 14-55 lens, processed in Lightroom3

[marielouiseavery]

Smoked salmon and dill frittata

One of the side effects of being a food photographer is the sudden glut of unlikely ingredients in my fridge. From last week's shoots I currently have a dozen packs of hot chilli peppers, 4 or 5 packs of wafer thin ham, several packs of smoked salmon and a whole carrier bag of lovely fresh dill. I can't bear waste so my challenge is to find dishes to use up this curious cornucopia. Today's lunch made some inroads into the salmon and dill!

Smoked salmon and dill frittata. 6 eggs, lightly beaten 3-4 tbsp curd or cream cheese Handful of fresh dill chopped 120g smoked salmon salt and pepper Grated Parmesan cheese.

Mix the beaten egg into the cream cheese, add the chopped dill, salt and pepper, and pour into a buttered oven proof dish. Add the salmon, cut into strips, evenly across the surface of the mixture and then poke down so they are just covered. Grate a little Parmesan over the surface and cook in the oven at 175C for about 25 mins.

Marie-Louise Avery Food & Lifestyle Photography 07860 436668 www.marielouiseavery.com www.thepicturekitchen.co.uk http://thepicturekitchen.photoshelter.com/

Sent from my iPad

[thepicturekitchen]

Terrine de Campagne - my simple French style country paté

Sadly it is almost impossible to find a paté to buy that is free of wheat or maltodextrin, so I can only enjoy one of my favourite treats if I make it myself. Fortunately it is not much effort if you have a strong food processor and the result is so much nicer and cheaper than a shop bought pate that it is a double bonus. This recipe is particularly quick and easy and very adaptable to your own preferences.

Terrine de Campagne

800 g belly pork slices

450 g pigs liver

1 large onion

2 cloves garlic

2 Tbsp brandy

1/2 tsp ground allspice

1/2 tsp ground ginger

1/2 tsp ground cinnamon

2 tsp dried herbs - rosemary, thyme, sage and parsley

or a small handful fresh herbs chopped

2  bay leaves

8  rashers of streaky bacon

Heat the oven to 180℃. Line an earthenware terrine with bacon rashers,  Peel and chop onions and garlic pulse briefly in food processor. Add the liver, the brandy, herbs, spices and seasonings, and then add the roughly chopped pork in batches, processing in between batches so that the later additions are less finely chopped than the first. It shouldn't be reduced to a puree. Turn this mixture into the bacon lined dish and arrange the bay leaves on top.  Place in a bain-marie and cook in the oven for 30 mins. Then lay a sheet of foil on top, reduce the heat to 150℃ and cook for a further 1½ hours approximately Test with a metal skewer plunged into the centre if it comes out hot and the juice is clear remove the paté from the oven. Cover with the foil and weigh down slightly while the terrine cools.  Leave until quite cold allow to mature for 24 hours. Do not remove any fat as this preserves the pate. Delicious served with cornichons and capers.

[marielouiseavery]

Pork larb with mint and lamb

I love the way the internet has brought dishes I'd never heard of onto my table. I always try something that sounds interesting and different, especially when the dish uses something basic and simple as this dish form Laos. I hope I found an accurate recipe to follow when I first made this but have cooked it so often now that it feels like my own. I don't want to offend anyone who knows the original so please tell me if this is very inaccurate!

Pork Larb with Lime and Mint

● 2 little gem lettuces ● 500 gm chicken (or pork), minced ● 100 ml stock ● 2 tbsp Thai fish sauce (Nam pla) ● 1 tbsp sugar ● 5 cm piece of ginger, cut into matchsticks ● 1 mild red chilli, cut into matchsticks ● handful of mint leaves, chopped ● handful of basil leaves, chopped ● 2 tbsp fresh lime juice ● 2 spring onions, chopped ● 1 lime,  for serving

Combine the meat, stock, fish sauce, sugar, ginger and chilli in a wok or frying pan and cook over a medium heat, stirring for 10 minutes until the meat is cooked and the liquid has reduced to a couple of spoonfuls. Add the mint, basil and lime juice, then stir. Sprinkle with the spring onions and serve with lime wedges and the lettuce leaves, which you can fill, wrap and eat with your fingers.

Posted via email from Marielou's posterous | Comment »