Now, when I was a sprog, deli’s were rare and homely joints. Yet, when Fernandez and Wells rocked up, the homely deli-style collided at full pelt with the foam-perfect café and female-friendly wine-bar, all wrapped in a modern shabby-chic wrapper. And we lapped it up. And now the Salt Yard guys are getting in on the scene too.
Give most restaurant critics or discerning foodies an undressed wooden table, a tumbler of wine and a hunk of something well-hung and you're laughing. Forget Michelin stars: on the food scene, ‘rustic’ is back.
This mash recipe comes from my Asian Fusion class which I teach a few times a year. We serve it with racks of lamb that have been rubbed with a Chinese-inspired honey and sesame marinade and the combination is incredibly delicious.
I tend to think of this recipe as ‘guy mash’. Brightly coloured with big flecks of chorizo and parsley, this is the antithesis of those smooth, wimpy purees. I like to serve this with a nice piece of roast halibut but it is also delicious just eaten straight out of the bowl - preferably while watching football and wearing mismatched socks.
I love buttermilk and am always looking for ways to use it. It has a delicious tangy flavour and adds a light and fluffy quality to just about everything you add it to.
