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Darina Allen: Three recipes to try at home inspired by the London food scene

Irish Examiner

17-05-2025

Entertainment
Irish Examiner

Darina Allen: Three recipes to try at home inspired by the London food scene

This week, an update from the London food scene. I was over for a wedding lunch at Corrigan's in Grosvenor St, and chic, delicious, and wonderfully convivial it was too. I particularly loved the new seasons' English asparagus swimming in nori seaweed butter. They used yakisushinori-roasted nori seaweed and added a bunch of watercress as a garnish — delicious! And guess what? I managed to get a table at the Yellow Bittern in Caledonian Rd. It felt like winning the Lotto! It's owned and run by Hugh Corcoran from Belfast and his lovely daughter Frances. Open just for lunch Monday to Friday and closed at the weekend — two sittings, one at 12pm and the other at 2pm, and for just 20 people. The food is simple, comforting, and delicious. The super fresh ingredients are laid out on the worktop in the tiny kitchen at the end of the restaurant. Hugh and his assistant work their magic on two stove tops and a tiny oven. We ordered radishes with butter and flaky sea salt, brown crab with mayonnaise, and freshly-baked soda bread. The flavour of the mixed brown and white crab meat reminded me of the flavours of early Ballymaloe. Myrtle always served both brown and white crab meat to encourage the fishermen to catch and sell whole crabs rather than just claws. Many other good things included a succulent beef pie and one of the best crème brûlées I've ever tasted. Always fun to catch up with Ballymaloe Cookery School alumni when I'm travelling. George Williams and Beth O'Brien have recently opened the Fat Badger over Canteen on Portobello Rd, a super cool bar with live music and a restaurant with an open kitchen on top. It was really rocking, and, once again, I enjoyed a delicious dinner. I particularly loved the intense nettle soup and a dotey little individual soda bread with good butter and a custard tart extraordinaire. Bravo to all again. A tough place to bag a table but definitely worth a try (tell them you read about it in the Irish Examiner!) So proud of 'our babies', next stop Stevie Parle's Town on Drury Lane. This is a much larger space designed by North End Design. It was absolutely throbbing with enthusiastic diners on its second night. Stevie offered me many tastes from his super creative menu, I particularly loved the deliciously fresh winter tomatoes with cod crudo and tomato water. He's been experimenting with lots of heritage citrus from Todoli Farm in Spain's Valencia, which provided little bursts of tart flavour. The wine-cured wild-farmed beef with candied walnuts and cheese whizz was another intriguing combination — all the more interesting because the cheese came from his brother, Mike Parle, who hand makes several artisan cheeses in The Lost Valley Dairy and Creamery in Inchigeelagh in Co Cork. He and his partner sell from his stall at the Skibbereen Farmers' Market every Saturday. Add these to your London list, plus a sweet little place in Hampstead called La Cage Imaginaire, where I had a lovely lunch with my dear friend of many years Claudia Roden, author of A Book of Middle Eastern Food, and many others, and who introduced us all to hummus et al in the 1990s. Devotees will be happy to hear that Claudia, now in her late 80s, is working on yet another book — her 22nd… what an icon! The Cage Imaginaire is the perfect place for a catch up. Cooking is done from scratch and there's no loud, throbbing music so we could hear each other rather than having to lip read. Claudia Roden's Hummus bi Tahina recipe by:Darina Allen Hummus bi Tahina is brilliant as a starter served as a dip with pitta bread. It is also delicious as part of a mezze. This recipe is from Claudia's Middle Eastern Food, first published in 1968 by Thomas Nelson. Servings 4 Preparation Time  15 mins Cooking Time  60 mins Total Time  1 hours 15 mins Course  Side Ingredients 110-175g cooked chickpeas (see below) or use tinned for meals in minutes freshly squeezed juice of 2-3 lemons, or to taste 2-3 cloves garlic, crushed salt 150ml tahini paste (available from health food shops) ½ to 1 tsp ground cumin To garnish 1 tbsp olive oil 1 tsp paprika 1 tbsp parsley, finely chopped a few cooked chickpeas pitta bread or any crusty white bread, to serve For the pitta crisps 3 mini pitta breads (about 9cm in diameter), halved crosswise 4 tsp extra virgin olive oil 1 tsp freshly ground cumin ½ tsp salt Method Cover and soak the dried chickpeas overnight in lots of cold water. Drain the chickpeas, cover with fresh water. Add a good pinch of bicarbonate of soda, bring to the boil and cook until tender, this can take anything from 30 to 60 minutes. Drain and reserve the cooking liquid. Remove any loose skins and keep a few whole ones aside for garnish. Whizz up the remainder in an electric mixer or blender or food processor with the lemon juice and a little cooking water. If necessary, add the crushed garlic, tahini paste, cumin, and salt to taste. Blend to a soft creamy paste, add more cooking water if necessary. Taste and continue to add lemon juice and salt until you are happy with the flavour — the texture should be soft and silky. Pour the creamy mixture into a serving dish, mix the paprika with a little extra virgin olive oil, drizzle over the surface, do the same with the chopped parsley. Sprinkle with a few cooked chickpeas. Serve as a dip with pitta bread or as an accompaniment to kebabs. For the pitta crisps Preheat the oven to 200C/gas mark 6. Cut the pita into triangles. Brush evenly with olive oil, sprinkle with cumin and salt. Spread pita strips in a single layer on a baking tray and bake in the middle of the oven for three minutes or until crisp and golden. Serve immediately to scoop up the hummus. Stevie Parle's Cod Crudo with Tomato Water and Basil Oil recipe by:Darina Allen Clean, vivid and elegant — this crudo balances the sweetness of tomato, fragrant basil oil, and bright citrus over delicate slices of cured cod. Servings 4 Preparation Time  10 mins Cooking Time  4 hours 0 mins Total Time  4 hours 10 mins Course  Main Ingredients For the cod cure 300g caster sugar 600g coarse sea salt zest of 1 lemon zest of 1 orange For the tomato water (yields 400g) 400g Marinda tomatoes 400g vine tomatoes 20g fresh basil 4g fish sauce (we use colatura di alici) 16g sea salt flakes 16g sherry vinegar 16g white wine vinegar 10g caster sugar 4g black peppercorns For the basil oil (yields more than needed): 228g fresh basil leaves 900g sunflower oil To serve 1-2 Marinda tomatoes, sliced as thinly as possible with a sharp knife 180g cured cod (sliced) 100g tomato water basil oil, to drizzle a few segments of pomelo or grapefruit (optional) Method To cure the cod, bliitz the sugar, salt, and citrus zests in a food processor. Coat a cod loin evenly in the cure and refrigerate for four hours. Rinse well, pat dry, and chill. Slice thinly just before serving. Make the tomato water by roughly chopping the tomatoes and combine with the remaining ingredients. Marinate for 20 minutes. Blend everything, then strain through muslin cloth overnight without pressing. For the basil oil, blend the basil and sunflower oil in a Thermomix at 90°C for nine minutes. Alternatively, heat in a saucepan for a couple of minutes and use a blender to emulsify. Strain through muslin cloth and chill. To serve, lay a few very thin slices of Marinda tomato on the base of each chilled plate. Arrange slices of cured cod on top. Spoon over around 25g of tomato water per portion. Finish with basil oil and citrus segments if using. Fat Badger's Brown Sugar Custard Tart recipe by:Darina Allen Thank you to Beth O'Brien, pastry chef extraordinaire, for sharing this delicious recipe, best custard tart I've ever tasted. Servings 4 Preparation Time  30 mins Cooking Time  1 hours 30 mins Total Time  2 hours 0 mins Course  Baking Ingredients For the pastry 80g butter 80g icing sugar 1 egg 240g plain flour 35g ground almonds pinch of salt 1 egg, to egg wash For the custard 240g milk 900g cream 2 200g dark brown sugar pinch of salt 12 egg yolks caster sugar, Maldon sea salt and crème fraîche, to finish Method Cream the butter and sugar together in the bowl of a stand mixer with the paddle attachment for two minutes until combined but not aerated. Add the egg and mix well, then add the flour, almonds and salt and mix to combine. Wrap and chill in the refrigerator for at least an hour. Remove the pastry from the refrigerator. Roll out to an even disc around 3mm thick. Line a deep tart tin (25cm in size), pushing the pastry into the corners and pushing against the edges of the tin. Chill for at least 30 minutes while you preheat the oven to 180°C/Gas Mark 4. Trim the edges and line the tart with baking paper and fill with baking beans. Bake in the preheated oven for 20 minutes, then remove the baking beans, brush generously with egg wash and bake for a further seven minutes. For the custard, eat the milk and cream to just about a simmer while you combine the sugar, salt and egg yolks in a bowl. Pour half the hot milk and cream over the yolks, whisk to combine, then pour this mixture back into the pot and whisk thoroughly. Reduce the oven temperature to 155°C/Gas Mark 3. Pour the custard into the blind baked tin and return to the oven. Bake for 55-60 minutes, until there is only a very slight wobble in the centre when baked. Chill fully before slicing. To serve, sprinkle a generous amount of caster sugar on top of each slice and use a blowtorch to brûlée. Put a pinch of flaky salt on top and serve with crème fraîche. NOTS Inaugural Agri-Homeopathy Conference 2025 Don't miss the Inaugural Agri-Homeopathy Conference run by the National Organic Training Skillnet taking place on Thursday, June 5, at Avalon House Hotel in Castlecomer, Co Kilkenny. In person or online event. Taste of Dublin: The Recipes Cookbook Taste of Dublin. which is celebrating its 20-year anniversary this year, has just launched its first cookbook Taste of Dublin: The Recipes with 20 recipes, all of which were demonstrated at the festival over the years. The festival has partnered with Dublin Simon Community to donate a portion of each sale directly to the charity's vital housing and healthcare services. The cookbook is available to pre-order for click and collect at the festival via or for postage on Read More Darina Allen: My top basic baking tips and three of my favourite recipes to try

Why is this the most controversial restaurant in London?

Observer

10-04-2025

Entertainment
Observer

Why is this the most controversial restaurant in London?

The Yellow Bittern, an 18-seat restaurant and bookstore near King's Cross station, hardly looks like the most divisive lunch spot in London. It feels more like the farmhouse of a retired professor: Customers ring a bell to enter, hang their coats on pegs by the door, while pots of Irish stew simmer in the tiny open kitchen. The food is hearty and hot, served with jars of mustard, and the decor includes books on Bertolt Brecht and an accordion. However, the cooking and ambience are not the only reasons that London's top restaurant critics and gourmands have flocked to this establishment. Many are curious about the controversy surrounding its head cook, Hugh Corcoran, a deeply read communist and vocal Instagrammer who managed to enrage half the city soon after the Yellow Bittern opened in October. 'I've arrived at dinner parties or meals with people and then we all say, 'Shall we discuss the Yellow Bittern?'' said Margot Henderson, the chef of Rochelle Canteen in East London. 'It's the talk of the town.' The Yellow Bittern in London on Jan. 17, 2025. (Peter Flude/The New York Times) Much of that talk centers on class issues, which are often at the forefront in Britain. The Bittern is cash-only and has two seatings, at noon and 2 p.m., only during the workweek. Critics point out that few Londoners can justify a leisurely, multicourse midday meal with a bottle of wine, which can easily cost $300 for a group of four. The implication that they could—especially from someone with a drawing of Vladimir Lenin in his restaurant—has sparked irritation. 'The food was good,' Jonathan Nunn, founder of Vittles, wrote in an email after reviewing the Bittern. 'But this is like asking people on the Titanic whether they ate well. It was too colored by everything else going on around it.' The Bittern isn't unusually expensive; Corcoran, 35, is part of a long lineage of London chefs serving creative spins on country food. Modern British cuisine, having taken off in the 1990s, remains highly influential in London. This nose-to-tail cooking approach is epitomized at St. John, co-founded by Henderson's husband, chef Fergus Henderson. Corcoran, from Belfast, does not view Northern Ireland as a legitimate state and holds a passport from the Republic of Ireland. He draws inspiration more from his home and places like France and the Basque Country than from Britain. The Dublin Coddle, a decidedly un-Instagrammable stew of potatoes and boiled sausage, that has generated a lot of buzz at the Yellow Bittern, in London on Jan. 17, 2025. (Peter Flude/The New York Times) However, the controversy has less to do with the cooking than with Corcoran's outspoken nature. Soon after opening, he took to Instagram to scold his customers. 'Restaurants are not public benches,' he wrote, admonishing patrons who split entrees and those who do not consume alcohol. 'You are there to spend some money.' Corcoran's post sent shock waves across London, a city known for its 'sorry, pardon me, after you' mentality. Critics published a flood of reviews, ranging from praise to scathing rebuttals. Yet, this tumult has only increased the restaurant's allure: Tastemakers like Alice Waters, Nigella Lawson, and chef David McMillan have visited. The menu features items like soda bread with butter and silky leek soup, alongside main courses like rabbit and guinea fowl pie. For dessert, there might be cream poured over an apple tart. Guests often linger long after the owners begin clearing tables. Supporters view Corcoran and his co-owners, Lady Frances Armstrong-Jones and Oisín Davies, as mavericks challenging the notion that the customer is always right. They celebrate the Bittern as a reaction against pretentious 'tweezer' food. Conversely, a louder chorus of critics mocks the restaurant, calling it a web of performative contradictions. One critic highlighted the absurdity of a stew priced at 20 pounds while suggesting a 90-pound bottle of organic red Burgundy, describing it as a fetishization of a working-class life that never existed. The owners maintain they never claimed the Bittern was for the working class. 'We have to run a business,' Corcoran stated. 'The people who come here are the people who can afford to come here.' Corcoran believes Londoners deserve more than quick, soggy lunches. 'Is this the kind of society that we were trying to create?' he asked. He suggests that discontent may be displacing frustration about lunch breaks, as the Bittern represents a reminder that people should have the time to enjoy a meal. So far, the Yellow Bittern is thriving. With a 10-year lease and near-capacity crowds each day, Corcoran believes they've found an audience craving a thoughtful dining experience. —NYT

Thursday Briefing: How Trump's Aid Halt May Affect Ukraine

New York Times

05-03-2025

Business
New York Times

Thursday Briefing: How Trump's Aid Halt May Affect Ukraine

How Trump's halt on Ukraine aid could reshape the war European leaders are set to meet in Brussels today to discuss how to support Ukraine and strengthen their own military capabilities. President Trump's decision yesterday to halt U.S. intelligence sharing with Ukraine, on the heels of his pause on military aid shipments, could reorder the battlefield. U.S. officials have suggested that the pause in weapons shipments and intelligence sharing could be relatively short-lived if Ukraine's president, Volodymyr Zelensky, bends to White House demands. My colleague Andrew Kramer, our Kyiv bureau chief, told me that 'if Russia sees potential for quick military gains from a weakened Ukraine, the incentive for talks will diminish for Moscow.' By halting U.S. assistance, Andrew added, Trump 'is essentially asking Ukraine to agree to terms in advance, without knowing what they are.' Without American-made weapons, Ukraine's forces could start to buckle in as little as four months, analysts said. About 20 percent of Ukraine's military hardware comes from the U.S. But that 20 percent 'is the most lethal and important,' an expert said. Fence-mending: To smooth things over with Trump after a clash at the White House last week, Zelensky is receiving some coaching from European leaders to get back in his good graces. Russia: State-controlled television in the country is changing its tune: The U.S. isn't so bad after all. The Supreme Court weighed in on Trump's aid freeze The Supreme Court yesterday rejected President Trump's request to freeze nearly $2 billion in foreign aid as part of his efforts to slash government spending. The vote, 5 to 4, moved the aid freeze decision back to a lower court, where a judge had said the Trump administration had offered no explanation for the blanket suspension of aid. Two conservative justices joined the three liberal members of the Supreme Court to issue the ruling, one of the court's first moves in response to Trump's spending cuts. The fact that a majority of the court ruled against Trump on one of his signature projects suggests that he'll have to face a more skeptical Supreme Court than its mostly conservative composition might indicate. More on Trump A woman, a shed and a mystery in China Three years ago, a video blogger stumbled upon a shack in a village in eastern China. Inside was a woman — dazed, shivering and chained up by the neck. That video set off what many observers called the biggest moment for women's rights in recent Chinese history. For weeks, the Communist Party struggled to quash the nationwide outcry. Eventually it did, though not entirely: In secret, a new generation of more determined activists had risen. My colleague Vivian Wang tried to find out what happened to the woman in the shed and to her supporters. The Yellow Bittern hardly looks like London's most divisive eatery, but its chef, a communist, has enraged half the city. Critics say the restaurant is full of paradoxes — the stew costs 20 pounds but the wine costs hundreds, and the chef scolds patrons for not spending enough money. What really chafes some are the hours: The place is only open for weekday lunch, when most Londoners are too busy for an expensive, leisurely meal. Lives lived: Peter Sichel, who played a crucial role in the C.I.A. as a station chief in Cold War Berlin and Hong Kong and later popularized Blue Nun wine, died at 102. Vive le cinéma French audiences are leading the charge back to movie theaters. According to fresh data, the country was one of the few that saw an increase in big-screen attendance last year compared with 2023. The trend is related to a French idea about a moral obligation to support the arts outside the home, and to a film industry that has helped shape Paris's urban landscape. France's uptick is different than that of other countries which have seen higher box office revenue because of premium theaters. 'It's almost mystical,' an analyst said. Cook: These easy recipes make your roasted broccoli even better. Watch: The new Marvel series 'Daredevil: Born Again' is a deluxe comic-book adaptation, meticulously produced and filmed. Shop: These lace-up shoes feel timeless. Play: Spelling Bee, the Mini Crossword, Wordle and Sudoku. Find all our games here. That's it for today. See you tomorrow. — Emmett P.S. What's the secret to your long-lasting marriage? We want to hear from you. We welcome your feedback. Send us your suggestions at briefing@

The Most Divisive Restaurant in London Is Open Only for Lunch