Latest news with #Manchego
The Herald Scotland
3 days ago
- Business
- The Herald Scotland
Glasgow restaurant institution has new owners - how is the food?
Whether you choose to believe that or not is up to you, but what there's no denying is that many people, myself included, count themselves as big fans of their beans. (Image: Newsquest) If you've spent time in Oban, you might recognise their lovely little shop on the waterfront selling empanadas, pastries and hot drinks, though they've been expanding at rapid speed in Glasgow with units on Sauchiehall Street and across the West End. Perhaps the most buzz surrounding one of their new city outlets was the takeover of Zique's, a West End 'institution' previously owned by Mhairi Taylor for more than 20 years. Announcing the news online, Taylor assured customers that the business was in capable hands with Hinba and said that she was looking forward to seeing them take the neighbourhood restaurant from strength to strength. So here mum and I are tonight, making our way past the post-work-pint beer garden dwellers of Partick on our way to investigate how the renamed Zique's Hinba is getting on so far. With floor-to-ceiling windows, it's a beautiful place to be on a sunny evening, though there are only a few of us in. The kitchen and bar are open plan and small, so we hear pans sizzle and drinks mixed as we try to make sense of the menu. Printed on a slim piece of card, it's divided into four different sections with little indication as to what size each plate will be, other than varying prices. Going by the numbers, we guess it's a snacks, starters, bigger plates and dessert sort of deal, and after a little time to fine-tune our choices, our server confirms we should have all bases covered. Pictured: Canapes kick off the meal (Image: Newsquest) Narrowly beating a glass of Vinho Verde (£7) and a French 75 cocktail (£10) to the table is a lemon mascarpone-based canapé. I like these delicate pastry cones very much. They're fresh, zesty and Mum, on the other hand, says it's a little too much like a citrus cheesecake. Different strokes. At least we both agree that the boquerones (£4) make for a gorgeous dish, their tiny silvery skins covered in pops of leafy green and swimming in orange oil spiked with plenty of smoked paprika. Pictured: Boquerones with smoked paprika and capers (Image: Newsquest) When halved in the name of fairness, molten cheese filling spills out of a single broccoli and Manchego croquette (£3) into a tomato sauce that's got hints of Heinz soup about it. I say this with appreciation- it's tangy, comforting, and nostalgic. It's a wee bit strange to me that these tasty little guys are served solo, but for only £3 a pop, you can't grumble too much. Next, a tennis ball-sized mound of crab is served on a thick, homemade crumpet with three sun-dried tomatoes balanced on top like cherries on a sundae. (£12) The crumpet element of the dish is a fraction too dense for the flecks of seasoned white crab meat, pulling focus away from the fresh seafood flavour, which a lighter bake might complement, but they're on the right track. Pictured: White crab, sundried tomato and crab butter crumpet (Image: Newsquest) From the second section of the menu is a dish sure to divide opinion, leaving folk shocked or swooning depending on your feelings towards sticky yeast spread. I place myself firmly in the Marmite lover camp, so these new potatoes coated in the stuff (£7)were always going to be a part of our order. I'm less convinced by the apricot pesto, which seems just a stretch too far, but the end result is an intriguing mix of big, gravy-like flavours and sweet stone fruit. It shouldn't work, but it does. I'd love to know who figured this out for the first time. Pictured: Marmite new potatoes with apricot pesto (Image: Newsquest) A final savoury plate of pork fillet (£17) is done well, split into three pieces and served with thin rectangles of smoked belly. The addition of tamarind to the dish is a wise move, giving surprisingly mellow gooseberries a bit of a nudge to liven up. After feeling like the kitchen had hit its stride with the more substantial dishes, a dessert of chocolate sorbet with strawberry and hibiscus (£7) is an odd one. Like a diet hot chocolate sachet prepared with boiling water rather than proper cocoa powder and full-fat milk, the flavour of this iced pudding feels washed out. I'd skip that and choose the affogato next time. Pictured: Chocolate sorbet dessert (Image: Newsquest) After eating, I'm still not sure I've got a handle on the menu here, but such is the way with small-plate eating. Throw some darts at the board, accept that your food will arrive as and when it's ready and hope that you've ordered enough to reach the dessert course feeling satisfied. It's not for everyone, but I'd argue it's in tune with the summertime wine bar vibe here. And props to the kitchen team for their presentation. Every single dish of the evening has been a feast for the eyes in bright summer hues of orange, green and reds with an arty, minimalist approach to plating that matches the surroundings. There's no magical Hebridean air to credit for the food tonight, but new owners Hinba appear to be settling into Glasgow's West End nicely, all the same. Menu: Small plate lovers will be happy here, but I struggled to find the flow of this menu. 3/5 Service: Cheery, helpful and attentive while giving customers space to enjoy their meal. 4/5 Atmosphere: . Only a few tables in meant it was missing a bit of buzz, but it's a beautiful place to spend a sunny evening. 3/5 Price:. Always hard to judge with a menu so varied, but with the pork dish the most expensive at £17 - it's not bad for the West End. 3/5 Food: Highlights of marmite potatoes and boquerones, but the crab crumpet and dessert weren't for me. Top marks for presentation. 7/10 Total: 20/30 Zique's Hinba is located at 66 Hyndland Street, Glasgow.
The Guardian
17-06-2025
- General
- The Guardian
José Pizarro's recipe for broad bean and mint tortilla with a manchego crust
In Spain we say, 'Habas en abril empiezan y en abril se acaban' – that is, broad beans begin in April and end in April. In the UK, the season starts a bit later, around June, so we've got a bit more time yet to enjoy them. Still, the season is short, so I use these wonderful beans as much as I can, while I can. This is the kind of dish I'd make on a quiet afternoon: simple, full of flavour, nothing fancy. Just a nice way to enjoy what the season gives you, before it disappears again for another year. Prep 15 minCook 30 minutes Serves 2-4 2 tbsp olive oil 1 banana shallot, peeled and finely chopped1 garlic clove, peeled and finely sliced250g fresh broad bean pods, podded to yield 100-125g beans4 large free-range eggsSalt and black pepper 2 mint sprigs, leaves stripped and chopped50g manchego, grated Heat the oil in a small roughly 16cm nonstick frying pan, then gently saute the shallot for 10 minutes, until lovely and soft. Add the garlic, cook, stirring, for a minute more, then take off the heat. Bring a pan of water to a boil and blanch the broad beans for a minute or two, depending on their size. Drain and refresh in cold water, then slip each bean from its outer shell (discard the shells). Beat the eggs in a bowl and season generously. Add the beans, mint and half the manchego to the bowl, then, using a slotted spoon, lift the softened shallot out of the pan, leaving the oil behind, and stir it into the egg mix. Return the pan and oil to a medium-low heat, then, once it has heated up, pour in the egg mixture and swirl the pan until you see the egg starting to set around the sides. Leave to cook undisturbed for three to four minutes, until the bottom is set and the top is still quite juicy. Invert the pan on to a flat plate or board (don't worry if it's a bit oozy), so the tortilla is cooked side up, then quickly add the remaining cheese to the hot an and turn up the heat a little. As soon as the cheese starts to melt and bubble, slide the tortilla back into the pan , uncooked side down on top of the layer of cheese. Use a spatula to tuck in the edges of the tortilla to create those classic round sides, and leave to cook for two to three minutes more. Use a spatula or fish slice to release the cheesy underside of the tortilla, then turn out on to a plate and serve with good bread and perhaps a nice salad.
Irish Examiner
07-06-2025
- Irish Examiner
Seafood Made Simple: This anchovy pizza recipe is a fabulous balance of sweet and salty
A recent trip to the Basque city of Bilbao served me very well. My non negotiables for travel secured good food, great company and a return flight out of Cork Airport. It was the perfect spot to catch a quick break before the summer madness begins. Basque cuisine is a delight. We sampled classic dishes like wild mushrooms with egg yolk, plates of jamón ibérico and kokotxas, a simple fish dish of the gelatinous throat of hake, a real delicacy in northern Spain. Bilbao is well known for its pintxos bars, great places to have a cold glass of something and enjoy a couple of light bites. Thick slices of tortilla, Manchego cheese, and my all-time favourite bar snack, the gilda, were very much enjoyed. The first gilda originated a couple of hours from Bilbao in San Sebastian. The classic composition includes salted anchovies, green olives and pickled guindilla peppers, all assembled on a cocktail stilck. My version always includes a little cornichon or two for an extra hit of vinegar. The Cantabrian anchovies you'll enjoy in Bilbao are caught nearby in the Bay of Biscay, a well-managed fishery that has prioritised the preservation of the species as well as the technique of canning seafood. Anchovies here are considered some of the best in the world and it would be unusual to eat in a restaurant in this region that does not have a signature dish honouring this flavourful species. The best we encountered was a kimchi-brined and butterflied plump anchovy perched on top of toasted bread with tomato. This weekend's recipe makes excellent use of those Cantabrian anchovies. Although hailing from Nice in the south of France instead of Spain, this pissaladiére is a fabulous balance of sweet and salty with caramelised onions, umami rich anchovies and briny olives. Pissaladiére recipe by:Aishling Moore This pissaladiére is a fabulous balance of sweet and salty Servings 4 Preparation Time 15 mins Cooking Time 60 mins Total Time 1 hours 15 mins Course Main Ingredients 1x 320g sheet of all-butter puff pastry 3 tbsp golden rapeseed oil 25g butter 850g white onion, finely sliced 2 cloves garlic, minced 3 sprigs thyme (1 sprig reserved for baking) 16 anchovy fillets 12 black pitted olives Freshly cracked black pepper 1 egg yolk Method Begin by making the caramelised onion base. Heat a heavy, medium-sized saucepan or Dutch oven on low heat. Add the rapeseed oil and butter to the pot. Once the butter has melted add the onions and stir well to coat. Season with fine sea salt and add the sprigs of thyme and minced garlic to the pot. Cook gently for 25-30 minutes, stirring often to prevent thebottom of the pan catching and the onions burning. If the bottom of the pan begins to catch, add a splash of water to deglaze the base of the pan. Once the sugars in the onions have caramelised and a jammy chutney consistency is achieved, remove from the heat, discard the thyme sprigs and pass the cooked onions through a strainer toremove the excess oil and butter. Set aside and allow to cool. Preheat the oven to 180°C. Lightly dust a large baking sheet tray with flour. Place one sheet of puff pastry on the baking sheet. Using a small, sharp knife make a slight incision in the puff pastry 2cm from the edge of the pastry. Continue this line all around the sheet's edges to create a border. Place the now cooled caramelised onions onto the pastry and spread to cover inside of the border of the pastry sheet. Lay the anchovies across the caramelised onions diagonally to create a lattice. Place the olives across making sure each slice, when cut, will have one olive. Scatter over some picked thyme leaves and season generously with some freshly cracked black pepper. Lightly brush the outside border of the pastry with egg yolk and bake in the preheated oven for 25-30 minutes until the pastry is golden brown. Allow to cool for a couple of minutes before slicing and serving. Fish Tales Be sure to weigh onions after peeling and slicing, not before. Every gram counts when cooking down to a jam-like consistency. The onions can be caramelised a day or two before and stored in the refrigerator, ready to assemble if you'd like to get ahead. Avoid the temptation of turning up the heat when cooking the onions to speed things up; caramelisation needs to happen slowly. Seasoning the onions at the beginning of cooking is essential to draw out the water in them. Cut the pissaladiére into smaller slices and serve as a canapé. It is great for picnics too and fantastic served with a simply-dressed green salad. Reserve the olive oil remaining from the anchovies, transfer to a small glass jar and keep refrigerated. Use to dress grilled or roasted vegetables or fish, in pasta sauces or salad dressings.
Glasgow Times
10-05-2025
- Business
- Glasgow Times
Glasgow restaurant Café Andaluz revamps its menu and we tried it
Café Andaluz, which has restaurants in the city centre and West End, have unveiled a host of new tapas dishes on their new spring/ summer 2025 menu. Tony Conetta, director at The DRG, says the new menu was developed after research which took the company to Spain. READ NEXT: The story behind Glasgow's own tequila liqueur company Bread, olives and sangria (Image: Newsquest) He told the Glasgow Times: "We usually have a tweak of the menu but this year we had a full revamp. "We have some nice new suppliers from Spain, we went to Madrid to research our menu and we also visited some tapas bars in London just to see what they were doing. "The food has had a real upgrade. "We're very proud of our new product." Croquetas de setas y trufa, pollo rebozado con miel and ensalada de radicchio (Image: Newsquest) The first Café Andaluz opened its doors on Cresswell Lane in Hillhead in 2022, bringing a taste of the Mediterranean to the heart of the West End. More than 20 years later, the restaurant still draws in large numbers of diners there and other locations, including on St Vincent Street. Tony says he believes part of the reason it has remained so popular for 23 years is because no matter what, people will always get something they enjoy. Chirpirones fritos (Image: Newsquest) He said: "The thing about Café Andaluz is everyone comes out and has multiple dishes. "It's hard to get it wrong because there'll always be something on the table you like. "It's great to share, it's a nice form of eating. "The small plates revolution is upon us but that's the way the Spanish have always eaten." He added: "Café Andaluz just goes from strength to strength." READ NEXT: Meet the team behind Glasgow's new escape room which has an exciting twist Carrilleras de cerdo (Image: Newsquest) One new addition to the menu is pollo sofrito which is a new version of pollo marinado which was removed from the menu to some uproar last year. It features chicken marinated in paprika and lemon juice with tomato sofrito sauce. Tony said: "We've put that back on so you get the pollo marinado with a nice sofrito base. "That dish is back which is a big relief and fans will be delighted to know." Arroz de mariscos (Image: Newsquest) The Glasgow Times was invited to come and try dishes from the new menu at their Cresswell Lane restaurant. As well as ordering a couple of old favourites like the patatas bravas we tried the croquetas de setas y trufa (woodlands mushroom and black truffle croquettes with Manchego), ensalada de radicchio (a salad of bitter radicchio, chicory, orange, Manchego pomegranate, olive crumb and honey dressing), carrilleras de cerdo (pork cheeks braised with red wine, woodland mushrooms, chickpeas, rosemary and garlic), chipirones fritos (crisp fried baby quid), and arroz de mariscos (king prawns and mussels with rice, tomato and parsley). My friend and I enjoyed every dish, noting the presentation along with the flavour. Patatas bravas (Image: Newsquest) A favourite of both of ours was the chipirones fritos which was served alongside a spicy aioli. I'm a fan of calamari but really enjoyed these much smaller pieces of squid which were crispy on the outside and not at all chewy the way it can sometimes me. We were both surprised by how much we enjoyed the ensalada de radicchio, both saying it's something we normally wouldn't order. The salad was light and fresh but packed with flavour, especially from the small orange segments. A favourite flavour combination of mine is mushroom and truffle so the croquetas de setas y trufa were something I was really looking forward to and they did not disappoint. The arroz de mariscos, especially the prawns which were large and cooked to perfection. I don't normally order pork dishes but I tried a bit of the carrilleras de cerdo and was pleasantly surprised by the flavour of the pork which was so tender it easily separated with my fork. My friend and I were both very impressed with everything we tried and now have some new favourites we'd like to order next time we dine there. Café Andaluz is located on 2 Cresswell Lane and 12-15 St Vincent Street in Glasgow.
Forbes
08-05-2025
- Entertainment
- Forbes
Rare In New York, Authentic Spanish Food––and Flamenco––Is The Draw At Socarrat
What makes the ideal paella? To listen to Lolo Manso, owner of Socarrat, 'The quintessence of the perfect paella and for which the restaurant is named is the delectable, sensuous crust that forms on the bottom of the paella pan when the liquid is rendered and the rice reaches its peak of succulence.' Indeed, that brown-black crust is the most desirable part of paella, the festive dish of Valencian rice and other ingredients cooked in a wide circular paella pan over an open fire. My first reaction to the dish, in the highly regarded paella restaurant La Pepica in Valencia, was that the drama of the cooking and serving and the scraping up of the socarrat outweighed my impression of its flavor, which was a bit bland. But at Socarrat, with locations in Chelsea and Nolita, I loved what I ate of the steamy, softened rice, chicken, shrimp, mussels and more, all of it fully flavorful right down to the last crunchy, smoky morsel of the soccarat itself. A communal table at Socarrat . ATSUSHI TOMIOKA There was much more that I liked at the NoLita branch Socarrat (there is also one in Chelsea and midtown), which on Tuesday nights at 7:30, 8:30 and 9:30, provides the added pleasure of fiery flamenco music and dancing. The room and bar are rustic, largely fashioned in wood, with a communal table that somehow manages to maintain a comfortable noise level, even when the two guitarists are flailing away and the sharp crack of the beautifully costumed dancer's heels and staccato click of her castanets are in full flourish. The menu is large, with an array of tapas, though they come in larger portions than the bite-sized pintxos you find in Spain. I can never resist gambas aj ajillo of fat shrimp sizzling in a ceramic dish with olive oil and the aroma of garlic, or the creamy croquetaswith their golden outer crust. Socarrat also serves grilled Spanish octopus Galician style with cubed potatoes and a lashing of paprika oil. Pan con tomate is the simplest of dishes––country toast rubbed with fresh tomato, olive oil, and garlic. Very much true to form was a dish of sauteed oyster mushrooms, cremini, shimeji, maitake and shredded Manchego cheese and a celery root puree. I recommend your table share the wooden board of campero––a selection of Serrano ham, chorizo and salchichón along with Manchego, Idiazabél and Mahón cheeses with almonds and olives. There are seven paellas, including the thin noodles variant called fideuá de Mar y Montaña with Brussels sprouts, squid shrimp, and a mushroom sofrito. The house paella is called 'Socarrat,' made with an abundance of meaty chicken, chorizo, shrimp, white fish, squid mussels and fava beans peppers and tomato. I liked even more the carne of pork chop chunks simmered in the juices with chicken chorizo, snow peas and mushroom whose soccarat perfectly crispy and nutty. Six deserts end off the meal with delectable renderings of classic Basque cheesecake with strawberry sauce; caramelized brioche soaked in milk with lemon curd; a rich, velvety flan; and my favorite, fried churros fritters to be dunked in hot chocolate sauce. Socarrat has an admirable wine list of Spanish bottlings, but I took a chance on a pitcher of sangria, which I loved because it was neither too sweet nor boozy. Meanwhile, not ten feet away, the flamenco dancer was stamping her feet in syncopation, flourishing her ruffled dress and flinging her arms above her head while the two guitarists provided the Spanish soul music. Good reasons to pound he tables in appreciation. New York has far fewer true Spanish restaurants than it should, and many years ago 'Spanish' really meant more Cuban because of where the chefs came from. But no one can dispute the seriousness with which Lolo Manso takes what he believes is his mission. You can tell by the smile on his face that is returned in kind as he goes from table to table. SOCARRAT 284 Mulberry Street 212-2190101 Open for lunch Mon.-Fri., dinner nightly; brunch Sat. & Sun.
