WATERCRESS CAFE

I'm playing catch up as I've abandoned my blog for months now since we moved to Singapore and have just had several hours straight to sit down at my desk to blog.  Although we went back to Bali in January of this year for a long weekend (haven't been since we left in March 2012), I am only posting this recent find now.  Watercress Cafe is a charming cafe on Batu Belig street, an up and coming area right by Seminyak in neighboring Kerobokan which is on the twisty rice field flanked road towards the surfing beaches of Canggu.

A brick-walled light-filled interior serving breakfast all-day with a lots of other yummy, healthy dishes especially for vegetarians or those looking for gluten-free items.  I was so impressed with Watercress that I went twice while we were in Bali - once for breakfast and another time for a late lunch (recently, they have also started serving dinner).  Their bread is from Bali's French bakery Monsieur Spoon and coffee specialist Revolver Espresso.  Drinks are made up of fresh fruit smoothies, lassis and juices and a selection of iced teas.  The menu is simple but with so many good things, it's hard to make up one's mind with what to order.  Some menu items can also be ordered in half-size portions which is convenient and unusual for Bali.

For breakfast, I had the Two Crispy Sweet Corn Fritters - two poached eggs over corn fritters and a chunky avocado and tomato salsa.  I ordered it as part of the breakfast set which comes with a bowl of fresh tropical fruit topped with crushed peanuts and grated coconut and a creamy cappuccino.

At lunchtime, there are loads of salads, a few burgers (Mahi-Mahi, crispy Tempeh or chicken sate) and several open sandwiches served either on sourdough or gluten-free bread. I had the Bruschetta topped with vine-ripened tomatoes, Feta and arugula followed by a Roasted Pumpkin Salad -  a large bowl of caramelized pumpkin, watercress, arugula with a basil pesto dressing.  Watercress Malam (the dinner menu) is more substantial with small plates as starters, salads and grilled items with assorted side dishes.

It's been a long time since I've loved a restaurant from start to finish.  Watercress Cafe is going straight on my favorites list. If you're going to Bali, you should add it to yours too.

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Watercress Cafe

Jalan Batu Belig 21A

Kerobokan, Bali

tel: +62 361 780 8030

Argentinean Dinner

Last night, we invited our next-door neighbors M & A and kids over for dinner. They had prepared a traditional Iranian meal for us a few weeks back and we decided to do an Argentinean dinner to reciprocate. After a week of careful planning - recipe research (from my mother-in-law), looking for ingredients all around Marbella and making do with our Weber grill instead of a parrilla (Argentine grill), we managed to re-create a near-authentic (at least food wise) experience for them.

As most Argentine meals are rustic outdoor set-ups where a large wooden table is set right beside the grill in a shady area of the garden, we opened all our sliding doors to let the outside in and first had aperitifs and appetizers on the terrace followed by the asado (grilled meat bien sur) indoors at sundown which is around half past nine anyway. The table was set with a place mat, a square plate, simple cutlery - forks and Laguiole steak knives, a linen napkin and some rosemary plants in terra-cotta pots as centerpieces.

To start we had empanadas de choclo (corn) y empanadas de carne (mince) along with Provoleta (grilled Provolone cheese) and chunks of baguette. The fried empanadas (we prefer these to the baked ones) were hot and crispy on the outside - the meat ones were either dipped in a bit of sugar or eaten with salsa chimichurri (oregano-based sauce for grilled meat) while the corn ones were eaten plain.

As soon as the appetizers were finished and the grill was ready, A prepared the three cuts of meat: entraña (skirt steak), asado de tira (short ribs) and bife de costilla (T-bone or Porterhouse steak). As we don't have a proper parrilla (grill) which can be lowered and raised depending on the heat of the coals, it was more difficult to ensure that the meat stayed red and juicy on the outside while not completely burning the outside. The grill sparked up with flames a few times but my Argentine husband managed to keep the flames to a minimum and cook the meat to medium-rare. We had two salads with the meats: a beet-carrot-egg salad and sort of a Waldorf salad of celery, apple, pear and walnut - both popular in Argentina. We also had some papas rejilla (crisscut fries) which are similar to potato chips to accompany the meat. I didn't have time to drop by the wine store in Marbella and see what Argentine wines they had so instead of the traditional malbec, we had an excellent Tempranillo from Ribera del Duero.

After dinner, we went back to the terrace for more conversation and to wait a but before the extra-sweet dessert we were going to have - mousse de dulce de leche (caramelized milk mousse). Much-needed espressos followed until we realized it was past midnight and time for the kids to go to bed.

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Salsa Chimichurri

• 1 Tbsp. oregano, crushed (fresh is better but dried works fine as well)
• 1 bay leaf, crushed
• 1 sprig fresh rosemary, crush the leaves
• a handful of flat-leaf parsley leaves, chopped
• 1 tsp. ground red chili flakes or to taste
• 2 cloves garlic, chopped finely
• sea salt and freshly-ground pepper
• 2 Tbsp. red wine vinegar
• 1/2 cup olive oil (if you want a milder flavor, use vegetable oil)

Soak all ingredients in the vinegar and water. Leave for at least an hour then add the oil. Adjust seasoning and serve with meat empanadas and grilled meat.

*If you're in a rush, get some of the ready-mixed dry chimichurri herbs that you add water and vinegar to, set aside for an hour or so, add oil and it's ready. I've used this many times and the result is very good.

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Mousse de Dulce de Leche

• 1 bottle of Dulce de Leche (about 454 grams) - buy the best that you can find. (*I use either La Salamandra or Havanna)
• 454 grams of whipped cream (in other words, equal amount of whipped cream and dulce de leche)
• Crushed meringues
• Walnuts

Crush the meringues and line the bottom of a large bowl, a serving dish or any container that you would like to present the mousse in Whip the cream until stiff. Add a dollop of dulce de leche to the whipped cream and whisk in. Gently fold in the rest of the dulce de leche. Make sure that the two are mixed together. Transfer into container then chill in the fridge for at least a few hours or better yet, overnight. When the mousse is solid, top with a few walnuts. Serve very cold.

Summer salad

You know that it's summer when the lavender starts to flower non-stop. We cut the blossoms every other day to make little lavender bouquets which we leave lying around perfuming the house with its' wonderful summer scent. I already posted a recipe for a grilled chicken and nectarine salad from my friend Rima but I'm writing about it again because it's so delicious that it's become our favorite "grilled" salad. As we are eating al fresco and off the grill for the summer (less mess), we had it yesterday evening and finished off with some espressos on the terrace.

Summer grill - Indian style

After our fantastic Iranian dinner the other night, I decided to dig up some similar recipes for the grill. I came up with an Indian-influenced chicken Tikka with cucumber raita along with some ready-made minted lamb kebabs from the English Butcher. We also made some buttered Basmati rice to go along with the meat. Both turned out well and we had another dinner al fresco although the M's kebabs were still the winner.

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Chicken Tikka

• 500 grams chicken breast, cut into large chunks (*I use chicken tenderloins which are the softer smaller filets under the breast)
• 3 Tbsp. yoghurt, plain or greek
• 1/2 cup tikka masala paste (* I use ready-made)

• Mix the yoghurt and the tikka paste.
• Marinate the chicken pieces overnight or for at least 6 hours.
• If using chicken breast pieces, thread onto bamboo skewers otherwise grill directly over hot coals.

Cucumber Raita

• 3/4 cup yoghurt, plain or greek
• 1 lebanese cucumber (around 130 grams), halved lengthwise then chopped into chunks
• 2 Tbsp. chopped mint
• 1 tsp. ground cumin

• Mix all ingredients in a bowl and chill till ready to serve.

Simple Spring Dinner

It was another beautiful spring day yesterday - blue skies, warm sun and a slight breeze from the Mediterranean - perfect for a simple dinner of sirloin and young asparagus on the grill accompanied by new potatoes and a salad of goat's cheese with red onion marmalade.  Often the most simple things make the best meal - not much thinking involved, not much time spent - just a quick peek in the fridge to make something with what you have.  Luckily, the fridge was still quite full from our weekly shop so we had a delicious impromptu dinner.

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New Potato Salad

• 400 grams new potatoes, scrubbed and washed
• 2 Tbsp. grainy mustard
• 2 Tbsp. Dijon mustard
• 2 Tbsp. vinegar (white wine or sherry)
• 250 ml. olive oil

• Boil the new potatoes until cooked through but firm.  Drain and set aside.
• While the potatoes are still warm, make the dressing.   Place the 2 mustards in a bowl, add the vinegar and whisk well to emulsify.  Slowly whisk in the olive oil and keep whisking until the dressing thickens.
• While the potatoes are still warm, split the new potatoes lengthwise then add the dressing and toss well.
• Sprinkle with chopped chives or sliced spring onions.
• Serve lukewarm.

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Easy Goat Cheese Salad

• 1 portion of goat's cheese
• honey
• red onion marmalade (I use the English Provender Very Lazy Caramelized Red Onion Marmalade)
• some good bread
• mixed greens
• dressing (1 Tbsp. mustard, salt & pepper, 1 Tbsp. vinegar - mix all then whisk in 3 Tbsp. olive oil)

• Toast some sliced bread in the oven.  When the bread is crisp, spread the goat's cheese and drizzle some honey on top.  Put back in the oven to melt the cheese.
  
• Make the dressing then toss the greens in the dressing.
• Top with the goat cheese toasts and serve with red onion marmalade on the side.

Salade Nicoise

Rain was scheduled for the weekend and we woke up to an overcast Saturday morning which then turned sunny. Lunch was supposed to be grilled Tuna Nicoise so I started to prepare all the vegetables - boiled new potatoes, boiled green beans, soft-centred boiled eggs, split cherry tomatoes (because that's what I had), roasted red peppers (leftovers from the fridge) and the basil and shallot dressing. Then, I got the grill ready. Five minutes after the charcoal had lit up, it started to drizzle - what to do? Well, I pulled out the awning and rolled the grill in the shade then went ahead with the plan and grilled the tuna steaks as quickly as I could before it started to pour. As soon as the tuna was done, which was in less than ten minutes, we sat down to lunch and while we enjoyed our Salade Nicoise, the sun came out again. Spring is definitely here.

Rima's Summer salad

Here's a wonderful summer salad that I first tasted in Dubai years ago at my friend, Rima's for lunch. It's her favorite and it's become one of our as well - the chicken and the nectarines are a great combination and makes a healthy yet filling meal for either lunch or dinner. We had it for dinner yesterday night and it was just right after our heavy roast lamb lunch.

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Grilled Nectarines and Chicken Salad

• 4 boneless chicken breasts (*I use about 20 pieces of the small chicken fillets that are just underneath the breast - they're softer and look nicer when grilled. In Spain, these are sold in packs at the supermarket and called "solomillo de pollo" or chicken tenderloin).
• 3 small nectarines, pitted and cut into wedges(with skin or without)
• 1 1/2 bags mixed salad greens (*I use 2 kinds of curly leaf lettuce, some arugula, fresh dill and fresh parsley)
• 1 small red bell pepper, finely sliced (optional)

Marinade for the chicken:

• juice of 2 oranges
• 1 tsp. Herbes de Provence (*This is a dried spice mix of rosemary, marjoram, basil, bay leaf, thyme and lavender flowers)
• 1 tsp. soy sauce
• 1 Tbsp. extra-virgin olive oil
• freshly-ground black pepper

Creamy Pine-nut vinaigrette

• 1/3 cup pine nuts
• 1 Tbsp. Dijon mustard
• 1 1/2 tsp. Herbes de Provence
• 1/4 tsp. salt
• 1/4 cup white wine or rice vinegar
• pinch of sugar
• 1/2 cup extra-virgin olive oil
• 1 Tbsp. water (if needed)


• Mix all ingredients for the marinade in a bowl. Place the chicken in a Pyrex or glass dish and our the marinade over. Cover and refrigerate for 2 to 6 hours. Bring to room temperature before cooking.
• Lightly toast the pine nuts in the oven for about 6 minutes. (*I use a heated non-stick pan). Place in a min-food processor and process until finely-chopped. Add the mustard, Herbes de Provence, salt, vinegar, sugar and mix. Add the oil in a thin stream and process until smooth. Dilute with water if the vinaigrette is too thick. Season to taste. (*The dressing can be made the day before. If it separates, put it back in the food processor to mix).
• Heat a stove-top grill or grill pan with oil and heat on medium-high. Grill the nectarine pieces a minute for each side. Transfer to a plate. On the same pan, grill the chicken pieces 4 minutes per side. If using whole chicken breasts, remove to a chopping board and slice into strips.
• Toss the salad greens in the vinaigrette and top with the chicken and nectarines. Sprinkle with red peppers, parsley and more of the vinaigrette.
• This salad can be served warm or at room temperature.
• Serves 6.

Poireaux Vinaigrette

The only fresh vegetables left from last week's market foray are lovely green leeks so for dinner tonight, I'm making poireaux vinaigrette. It's a classic French starter of boiled leeks served at room temperature with a vinaigrette. I'm replacing the vinaigrette with a sauce gribiche to add some zing to the dish.
Here's the recipe for Poireaux Vinaigrette with Sauce Gribiche:

Bring a large pot of water to the boil and in another small pot, boil an egg (till hard-boiled).

Trim the leeks right where the green part end and the white part begins and slice off the roots. Split lengthwise almost till the end then rinse in cold water several times.

Salt the boiling water then boil the leeks for 10 to 12 minutes without covering the pot.

While the leeks are cooking, finely chop the hard-boiled egg, a tablespoon of capers, 8 small cornichons (pickles) and a handful of parsley.

Into this, fold in 1 ounce of red wine vinegar and 2 ounces of peanut oil.

By this time the leeks should be done, plunge them in a bowl of iced water then leave them to cool. Drain then dry with a paper towel.

Place the leeks in a shallow serving dish and drizzle the sauce gribiche over it.

I also have two pieces of magret de canard (duck breasts) which I've marinated in 1 tablespoon honey, 2 tablespoons soy sauce and 1 tablespoon sesame oil and will roast in the oven for 20 minutes. At the same time, I'm going to roast some new potatoes with whole cloves of unpeeled garlic. Might as well set the table outside and make this a French al fresco dinner.

Day off

After several weeks of greyness and rain, the sun is out. I'm keeping my fingers crossed that the warm temperatures stay until the end of September.

Tuesdays are when the nanny takes her day off and I'm left alone to do as I please. It's when I blog or read or have lunch out alone with just my book to keep me company.

Today, I'm thinking of just staying home, sitting in the sun and catching up on some reading but before I do that, I wanted to post this tried-and-tested recipe. It's such a favorite at home that we always have a few dozen in the deep freeze. They're easy to make and perfect for an appetizer plus it's a hit with everone who has tried them.

Pork Spring rolls (makes about 4 dozen)

• 500 gr. ground pork
• 3 minced spring onions (white part only)
• 2 minced carrots
• 2 Tablespoons sesame oil
• 2 Tablespoons light soy sauce
• Freshly-ground black pepper
• 1 pack Spring Roll square sheets (about 20)
  
• Mix all ingredients together in a large bowl.
• Place about a teaspoon of the filling on the spring roll sheet and roll gently. (It should look like a thin, long cigar).
• Trim off the edges with kitchen scissors then cut the roll into 3.
• These can be placed in a container and frozen for one month.
• Deep-fry from frozen for a few minutes until golden brown.
• Serve with Thai sweet-chili sauce or plum sauce.