Thursday lunch sandwich & anchovy mayo

A mixture of flavors: soft white bun - anchovy mayo (yum & important!) - prosciutto - avocado - pea shots - strong cheddar. Simple, yummy, healthy, and beautiful. Oh - and of course some vanilla soy milk.

anchovy mayo

2 egg yolks 

1/2 tsp dijon mustard

200 ml sunflower oil

pinch of salt

lemon juice

3 anchovies (salted, preferably)

1/2 tsp fish sauce

mix the yolks with mustard until smooth

add oil very slowly, start with almost drop-by-drop, and whisk thoroughly after each addition, until smooth and thickening

keep adding oil until you use all of it - the mayo should be thick when you finish

season with small pinch of salt, a few drops of lemon juice

add the anchovies, chopped almost into paste, and fish sauce

mix until incorporated; if the mayo still seems too thick, add 1/2 tsp boiling water and mix it in

orange and white chocolate cups

orange curd

zest + juice of two large oranges

juice of one lemon

2 eggs

100 g sugar

2 tbsp cornflour

put all the ingredients in a pan, whisk until smooth (no lumps of flour)

cook on medium heat, stirring constantly, until thickens and bubbles

leave to cool down

white chocolate mousse

300 ml whipping cream

150 g white chocolate (chopped or chips)

100 ml milk

2x2g gelatin leaves

bloom gelatin in cold water

bring the milk to boil, take off heat, toss in the chocolate and stir until melted and mixed smoothly with the milk

while the mix is still hot, add gelatin and mix until dissolved

whip the cream to soft peaks

add chocolate mix to cream in a few portions, mixing well each time – the best is to use whisk as it helps the aeration of the mousse

assembly/decoration

white chocolate

freeze-dried raspberries

spoon 1/5 height of the cup of orange curd

fill 3/5 height with white chocolate mousse

leave to set (about 30 min)

decorate with white chocolate pieces – I used homemade triangles – and freeze-dried raspberries (or anything of your choice that adds nice color contrast, eg. pomegranate seeds, dark chocolate shavings)

keep cool before serving

matcha madeleines

Everyone knows I love matcha. There are two little magical boxes sitting in my cupboard, surrounded by more and more tea, and teasing me every time I open the doors to make myself a cup. There is only a limited time one can resist temptation, hence the madeleines. They are subtle and delicate, matcha flavor pronounced but now overwhelming (as it can be for those not used to it perfect bitterness and dusty texture, I have learned by trying to introduce people to it with matcha bubble tea - not the greatest idea.) I substituted the original recipe's lemon juice with green tea brew - some liquid is necessary for the right consistency of the batter and the tea fits in perfectly, accentuating the green tea tones. Perfect served, of course, with a teapot of a sencha/matcha blend!

100 g butter

2 eggs

120 g sugar

120 g flour

½ tsp baking powder

30 ml brewed plain green tea

1 tbsp matcha

melt and cool down the butter

beat the eggs & sugar until fluffy and pale

add butter and flour sifted with baking powder alternately to the eggs, mix until smooth each addition

add matcha and the green tea

pour the batter into madeleine mould (i use silicone, if not butter and lightly flour it beforehand)

bake for 10 min in 220C

let cool down before removing from mould

optional: matcha glaze - combine icing sugar, a few drops of lime juice and a quarter tbsp matcha until smooth, drizzle over the cooled down madeleines