Heston goes shopping
Britain’s eclectic chef is not off his trolley, he just loves to sample the merchandise, writes Jana Frawley
IT’S been a while since Heston Blumenthal’s been in a supermarket and it seems he’s forgotten the etiquette. Themadscientist of world cooking is wandering through the produce section and tucking into anything that takes his fancy.
Does he do this all the time? “Um, no,” he says slightly abashed as he realises he’s eating a radish. “That’s the first time I’ve done that inmy life.”
He snaps the tops off asparagus and munches on them while sneaking cherry tomatoes fromthe punnet to check for sweetness. Lettuce leaves are torn fromheads to ensure the right variety is bought and other items are tested to satisfy his curiosity.
“What’s this ‘English spinach’?” says the British visitor. “Nowthat is interesting.” Similar questions emerge as he checks what’s on offer at the fish counter – “barramundi; now that’s not a fish we eat in theUK” – or seeks out waxy potatoes he calls Charlotte, while we’d look for kipfler or nicola. But get him started on what to cook for dinner for a family of four and it’s all answers.
“Being a Brit, the sun doesn’t come out that often so I’m going to use the barbecue,” he says. “AndAustralia has the best beef in theworld, so I’m going to buy beef.” Asalad is also on the menu, and while it’s a simple meal with which we’re all familiar, he offers up some Heston-isms to helpmake the end result that much better.
RAWANDCOOKED
“Seasonal is the obvious starting point for choosing the vegetables,” Heston says. “A mixture of rawand cooked is really delicious.”
The first itemin the basket is a now slightly depleted bunch of radishes. “I love them in salads because they add a crunch, a slightly peppery taste and real freshness,” he says, suggesting using a sharp knife – or better still a mandolin – to cut them as thinly as possible.
Next is a bunch of asparagus, which he plans to barbecue. But for other times, his tip for cooking it is to steam or put it in a pan in a little butter and salt and pepper, with the lid on to generate vapour.
“If you cook it inwater, it loses all its flavour into the water,” he says. Next, he nibbles on a parsnip – “Oh, I’ve done it again! It’s just weird!”
LEAF BRIEF
“There’s a big boom in micro greens and lots of versions of rocket and mustard cress and mizuna and that can get really peppery,” Heston says. “But there’s nothing wrong with using a simple, mild salad leaf with the hints of pepper coming fromthe radish.”
Heston’s creation will also include green onions that have been quartered and put inwater for about 30 seconds “to take the edge off them” and tomatoes. “Before I add the cherry tomatoes to the salad, I halve or quarter them and mix them with a little salt and some coriander seeds,” he says.
The salad dressing will be a mustard vinaigrette using three parts grape-seed oil, one part white wine or tarragon vinegar, and whole-grain mustard.
“So our salad is lettuce, onions, radish, asparagus, the dressing, plus flat-leaf parsley,” he says as he wheels the trolley throughColes. “As you’re making it – or anything else – remember to keep tasting and tasting and tasting again. All the time.”
HOT POTATOES
TodayHeston will put a new spin on his famous thricecooked potatoes by finishing them on the barbecue instead of roasting them in the oven.
Using kipfler potatoes, he suggests keeping their skin on then halving andwashing them. Put them in simmeringwater containing a few sprigs of rosemary and a few halved cloves of garlic, also with their skins on. “Cook the potatoes until they start to crack,” he advises. “This is really, really important as that is how you get the crisp outside.” Next, lightly coat them in olive oil and put them on the barbecue until they’re nicely chargrilled.
BEEF BASICS
“WhenI’m buying steak, I’d always look at the marbling,” Heston says, pointing to the thin lines of white fat streaked across the beef. “The more marbling you see, the juicier the steak will be. I’d also go for the darker looking meat as usually that means it’s been aged a bit longer.”
His preference is for sirloin or, if budget allows, a cut on the bone such as beef rib. “The bone helps in the cooking process as it acts as both an insulator and conductor of heat,” he explains. “And all those bits you chew off the bone are really delicious.”
To cook the perfect steak, the meat must be at roomtemperature before it goes on to a barbecue that’s been heated medium to high. Then follow Heston’s signature style: “Bash it a little with your hand then rub it with oil and season it with sea salt and pepper. Put it on the barbecue then turn it every 15 to 20 seconds until it’s done.’’
He lets the steak sit for a few minutes before slicing it. “Put a little bit of extra virgin olive oil over the beef and season it again with salt and pepper,’’ he says. “And if you’ve bought a rib of beef, make sure everyone is served a bit of the cap – it’s not just formumand dad.”