LUCKY 7, NOTTING HILL

Pascal, Arabella and I went bowling to All Star Lanes on Saturday which was super fun - Pascal and I bowled without Arabella's barriers for once which added some extra excitement (and disappointment)! We decided to try somewhere new for lunch and so ventured over to Westbourne Park Road where I had booked a 12.30 table at Crazy Homies. Unfortunately we were 20 minutes early and their kitchen didn't open until 1pm….why they didn't tell us this when we booked I do not know. Pretty annoying as we didn't want to wait around so ended up nipping next door to Lucky 7, a tiny authentic American diner also owned by Tom Conran. Normally I would be overjoyed to have a burger however Pascal and I had been looking forward to a Mexican. Anyway!!

We sat in one of the 6 leather booths and perused the menu - there is basically the choice of brunch or a burger! We obviously went for the latter!

We started with the chips with guacamole, salsa verde, pico de gallo and chipotle - these were delicious - the most incredible guacamole! Another sign that we have to try Crazy Homies!

Pascal and I had the bacon cheese burger.

Arabella had a cheeseburger.

The burgers were good - cooked pink, good quality Aberdeen Angus meat, crispy bacon, a good amount of cheese and I adored the pickle and onion however I wasn't really a fan on the bun - it was too hard. I still managed to eat the lot though!!

The highlight of the meal were the cheesy chips - these were delicious, crispy salty fries covered in melted grated cheese - and we had a massive portion.

Service was quick, friendly and efficient and it was all reasonably priced.

It wasn't the best burger I have ever had due to the bun however it was still tasty and the cheesy fries fabulous. If you are looking for an authentic American diner experience, this is definitely your place -  they also serve great creamy milkshakes, American beers and cocktails, and the breakfast burrito definitely looked very interesting. It is extremely kid friendly (Arabella was obsessed with the quirky decor and the fact you could order Lucky Charms cereal) - they even cater for children's parties - and take out is available…..hey…..I even sound American now?!!

Lucky Seven

127 Westbourne Park Road
London
W2 5QL
Tel: 020 7727 6771
Email: office@lucky7london.co.uk

SAUSAGE & LENTIL STUFFED CONCHIGLIE

We went to our best friend's 40th birthday party last night and the food was some of the best I have ever tasted. They hired the lovely Sabrina Ghayour to do the cooking and she produced an absolute feast from her bestselling cookbook Persiana - it was beyond impressive. Unfortunately I was in a pretty tight dress otherwise I could have spent the entire night just eating and eating and eating….

I wish I could have taken Sabrina home with us today to cook for us forever….however instead it was up to me to provide lunch and Pascal and Arabella had requested pasta (no surprise there)!

Ingredients for 4 people:

300g of giant pasta shells (conchiglie)
Olive oil
8 herby sausages
2 garlic cloves, finely sliced
1 tsp fennel seeds
4 tbsp puy lentils
400g tin chopped tomatoes
1 tbsp tomato puree
300ml chicken stock (I just used beef as that is all I had)
1/2 tub of ricotta cheese
80g Parmesan cheese, grated 

The recipe tells you to fry the sausages however I decided to be a little healthier and grilled them for 10 minutes, turning them halfway through cooking time.

Whilst the sausages are grilling, cook the shells according to their package instructions until they are al dente and then rinse them under cold water to stop them cooking.

Back to the sausages, after 10 minutes (they were almost cooked but not quite), cut them/break them into small chunks and add them to a large frying pan with some olive oil. Try not to spray yourself with oil like I clumsily did!

Add the garlic and cook for a couple of minutes.

Next add the fennel seeds and fry for another minute.

Pour in the lentils.

Then the tomatoes and tomato puree.

Finally add the stock and simmer for 20 minutes until the sauce has thickened. Give it a stir every so often so it doesn't stick and I also broke the sausages a little more so the meat became more mince like. At this point, start preheating the oven to 180C / 160C fan / gas mark 4.

In a shallow oiled baking dish, pour in the shells.

Cover and fill with the sauce.

Dollop over small blobs of ricotta.

Scatter over the Parmesan (obviously I also added extra grated cheddar cheese but this is optional).

Cook for 25-30 minutes until the tops are golden.

Then tuck in!

Pascal and I absolutely adored this - it is like a twist on bolognese. Arabella wasn't so keen - I don't know why, maybe the sausages were too herby or she was just p*ssed off it wasn't her favourite carbonara!! I am becoming a huge fan of lentils and they tasted great, the only thing I would change if I did this again would be to add mushrooms (much to Arabella's disgust) and it would go brilliantly with a green salad. It was really good and very easy and took just over an hour in total to make. You could also prepare it all before if you were having a dinner party or such. 

It wasn't Sabrina Ghayour's high standard but I was still proud of the delicious dish!

BAKED CHICKEN & PORCINI RISOTTO

Happy New Year! I do love a new year's resolution and so this year I am trying to eat more fruit and veg and do the 5:2 diet. So far so good….but then again it's only been a week!

Tonight was definitely a 5 day so Pascal and I decided to cook a risotto and this has to be the easiest risotto recipe possible.

Ingredients for 4 people:

30g dried porcini mushrooms
180ml boiling water
500g chicken thighs, trimmed and chopped
400g arborio / risotto rice
1 litre chicken stock
2 tsp thyme leaves
1 clove of garlic, peeled and crushed
50g butter, chopped
80g Parmesan, finely grated and some to serve 
Salt & pepper

Now I did put all the ingredients together for a photo but I forgot to take it - doh. I am obviously out of practise!

Anyway start by preheating the oven to 200C fan / 220C / gas mark 7.

Place the mushrooms in a bowl and cover with the boiling water. Leave to stand for 5 minutes.

Crush the garlic and cut the chicken and then put in an ovenproof dish (3 litre capacity).

Add the thyme as well.

Drain the mushrooms, reserving the soaking liquid. Next chop the mushrooms and add them to the chicken etc along with the reserved liquid.

Finally add the stock and rice, stir together and season.

Cover with foil and bake for 40 minutes. Halfway through cooking, give it a stir.

After 40 minutes, remove the dish from the oven and stir in the butter and Parmesan for around 3 minutes or so until the risotto thickens. Season again if required.

Divide into bowls and top with Parmesan to serve. We also added a drizzle of truffle oil.

This was really good - I have never baked a risotto before but I definitely will again - so much easier than all the constant stirring and you wouldn't know the difference. I had ripped this recipe out of a magazine 2.5 years ago so I am very pleased I finally got round to cooking it and I would certainly recommend it! Yum!

HOTEL L'HELIOS, MERIBEL

We are creatures of habit when it comes to eating in the mountains and so rarely try anywhere new. However Pascal was keen for lunch one day at the restaurant at the Hotel L'Helios, and considering it's beautiful terrace in the sun and it's proximity to the bottom of the slopes, I was happy to give it a go too.

I don't think many people know about it as it was pretty quiet but we weren't complaining as we had a prime table in the sunshine, extremely attentive service and Arabella loved playing in the snow nearby. As it was New Year's Eve we decided to have two courses….plus there was so much we wanted on the menu.

I started with burrata, tomato and basil sauce. An all time favourite of mine in London and it did not disappoint. It was absolutely delicious and very well presented with plenty of cheese and plenty of tomatoes.

Pascal went for a dish of the local beaufort cheese and not so local pata negra ham. This was also very good - very fresh and flavoursome and a hearty portion.

Arabella went for a burger which I had food envy over - no surprise there - she ate it all and adored the fries!

For mains I actually had a starter again - I love the small ravioli they have over here and can never resist it on the menu. My ravioli had a cheese filling and was served with crispy local ham. This was amazing - really cheesy!

Pascal surprised us all by ordering fish! He ordered pike quenelle with a crayfish sauce which was served with wild rice. I am not particularly a fan of pike but I was obsessed by the crayfish sauce - I could have had it as a soup. Pascal devoured the lot!

We were too full for puddings like normal and instead just enjoyed some petit fours with a coffee.

A fantastic meal on the slopes - it really is the perfect location, the food is delicious and the terrace / restaurant has a smart elegant atmosphere. I expect when the weather warms up, people will be fighting each other for a table in the sunshine. 

Helios Hotel Restaurant

Route de la Renarde,
73550,
Meribel Les Allues,
France
Tel: 00 33 (4)79 24 22 42

LA FROMAGERIE, MERIBEL

Pascal, being born and bred in the french mountains, loves the local dishes such as fondue and raclette. Therefore on one of our first meals out in Meribel, we booked a table at La Fromagerie, the best place for these cheesy dishes. Obviously being a cheese lover myself, I wasn't complaining. Arabella was a little unsure, especially as when you walk into the restaurant and all you can smell is cheese, cheese and more cheese.

I don't think I have ever seen a menu here as we only ever order the same - a Swiss fondue and a raclette. When Pascal and I first got together we came here and we had a fondue, tartiflette and raclette, one bottle of red wine and a bottle of white….I don't think I have ever felt so ill in my life!! Now we start with a small fondue and then have a small raclette for main (to be honest you do not need both but we are just greedy and cannot decide which one we prefer).

The restaurant is very rustic, cosy and quaint and service is super efficient. 

Our fondue arrived promptly. The pictures speak for themselves - the bread and the cheese.

Then there are some delicious accompaniments - charcuterie, cornichons and a crisp green salad.

We ate the whole lot, including another plate of charcuterie. Arabella really enjoyed it as did Pascal and I.

Even though we could have probably left it there, for mains we had a raclette. This is obviously pretty similar although there are new potatoes rather than bread. Pascal took charge of scrapping the cheese once it was melted and did a very good job!

So good I had two portions, I knew I would have chronic stomach pains after all this cheese, but it is so incredible, I couldn't stop and neither could Pascal. Arabella wasn't so much of a fan of the raclette and for once I didn't force her…..my sister was sick in my ski boot after a raclette when I was 13 years old (funnily enough in Meribel) and I did not want a repeat performance!!

If you are in Meribel, this restaurant is a must - nowhere else can you eat such tasty typical dishes….just make sure you are hungry (and like cheese) and don't wear your favourite clothes as you leave the restaurant smelling of cheese. One piece of advice is to book beforehand, it is one of the most popular eateries in the area and is always packed. 

La Fromagerie

Gallerie des Cimes,

Cote du Petaru,

73550,

Meribel,

France

Tel: 00 33 4 79 085548