(Steamed Rice Ho Fun Sheets w/ Cured Ham, Pork Belly & Coriander & Sweet Basil - w/ Sweet & Chilli Fish Sauce)
(Cured Vietnamese Sour Ham)
(Chilli seeds for sauce- Disgard unless you like it hot : ))
(Won Ton Pastry)
(Won Ton Noodle Soup (we didn't serve noodles though)
(Lovely Sticky-ness)
(Baked Talapia With Onions, Garlic, Lemongrass & Ginger)
(Duck With Orange & Star Anise W/ Steamed Rice)
Additional Photography By Our Lovely Guest - Elisabet S
It is traditional to wear red on New Year's to bring luck and to eat to your heart's content in celebration with good friends and family to bring good fortune and prosperity.
You must pay off all your debts and spring clean your home to close chapters of your past and welcome new experiences and good luck. Out with the old and in with the new.
Your New Year's Day must be filled with fun and happiness. Whatever you do in this day is believed to reflect your entire year - so don't argue or be sad.
Stepping in dog poo by accident is somehow supposed to be lucky? Don't know why but Simon managed to tread a whole load of oil in from the street and left foot prints all over my carpet on the stairs- will that make us wealthy? Hope so.. : )
Welcoming dogs into your home is also believed to be really lucky.
We had a great time on these supper club nights. Everyone really enjoyed themselves and loved the food. We hope that they will all be very lucky in the year of the Tiger. They will not be hungry - thats for sure.
“We were kings, the suns of those few hours of banqueting, who would determine their futures and describe their horizons…” - Muriel Barbary – ‘The Gourmet’
A Private Party at Fernandez & Leluu
I love my girlfriends. Girlfriends rock – I have two very best friends, - Aggie & Fatima. We met in St Joan Of Arc Primary School in Highbury when we were five, playing hop scotch and trying to get gold stars from Mr Keane.
Since then, we have grown up, eating our way through college, university, countries, careers, memories of love, boyfriends, bad dates, hot dates and marriage proposals that never were. But still standing strong with each other (and new girlfriends made along the way) as solid rocks and embracing the ride to come.
Now in our thirties, arm in arm with careers, responsibilities, living lives in all parts of the world, memories of being in our twenties together (where there were much less things to worry about) are a true treasure.
Not knowing at the time, how wonderful we were, we were smiling and laughing til our checks ached and rocked the house with our grooves, loving youth and bouncing on a lot of enjoyment. I remind myself to never lose our religion of fun no matter how much older we will get.
Sajida and I have been corresponding since November. When she had heard of us through the grapevine, she immediately booked to have her birthday party in February, choosing our Fish Tales menu.
I felt that Saj has had quite a year of hardship and a lot of work, a great birthday party with all her friends is something to look forward to and to welcome in positive prospects. Although I didn’t know her and had never met her, I knew that this booking would make wonderful memories for her and we were really happy to be a part of it.
Private bookings are entirely different than our usual restaurant nights as people are coming to a dinner party in a party atmosphere. Everybody knows each other and there is more mingling than usual.
There is always one girl who loves to DJ (that’s me usually) and its always the girls who start dancing – the ones who dare to love life and be wild and outrageous in front of their friends.
They are always the ones who will bring the candles and/ or the cake for your birthday, buy you the best gifts. Know your favorite songs or whom you might fancy in the crowd. They know your past, your present and they are part of your future. They just know You.
Is it true what Harry said to Sally? Can men and women ever be friends? Yes - but no matter what, my girlfriends and I will always be there for each other to the bitter end. Whereas, boys… they come and go.
Elizabeth Shepard, co-owner of Green Onions Secret Supper Club and I have been corresponding via Twitter about tea, Radio 4, dinner dates and such things like “not liking today” for a couple of months now.
I felt like I had found a fellow human who knew what we were going through with the trials and tribulations of the supper club world. Despite only seeing a tiny Twitter picture of her in yellow and purple and a large hat covering her face, I took an instant liking to her. She looks like lots of fun.
When I had heard on Twitter that there were some cancellations for their event last Friday night, I told Simon about it and we decided to go because our Fish Tales menu for the next day did not require us to work late into the night or to do any prepping the day before. (We like doing Fish Tales)
We cycled in the winter wind along the dark streets of Hackney. It definitely beats driving and one of us not drinking. As we arrived on their street, we found Elizabeth, also known as Claire, wondering around in her apron, trying to locate lost dinner guests.
We were welcomed by Lucy, a hunky blonde with a very husky voice, took our coats and offered us some sparkling something that I could have had a litre of. It was lovely. Claire lives in a council block on the ground floor with a garden that I wish I could have seen (as it was dark – I didn’t).
As I grew up in a 70s council block (in Hackney), I always feel like I somehow belong there. I love the unique warmth that hits your face when you enter the door that you do not get anywhere else. Is it because the ceilings are lower, the people are closer that this special heating occurs? Its not too hot, its just right; comfortable and homely.
Claire’s dinning room is simple but inviting with fairy lights crawling across mirrors and the book case. Flowers on every table. But most importantly, the guests who have already arrived are the welcoming part – saying hello to new arrivals, greeting us with their friendly smiles.
Supper clubs rule when it comes to social interactions. We spoke to our table companions about their weird dates, trips to China and whatever anyone felt like chatting about. It was like meeting some old friends you hadn’t seen in ages and getting to know them all over again.
It was difficult to answer, ‘what do you guys do?’ the inevitable question that always pops up – ‘O - … We also run a supper club.’ It’s the dread of justifying why we were there in the first place. No – not to spy, not to poach customers or even check out the competition. Just to eat and take part in the supper club movement. We answered all their questions and really liked telling them too.
Simon & I spend so much time talking and working on Fernandez & Leluu – we never really get any time to ourselves and not work. Going to a supper club is just better than going to a restaurant because then at least we can talk to other people who occupy the world too.
We were seriously hungry! Claire introduced herself to her dinner guests and announced that sadly this weekend may be Green Onions’ last suppers because – Billy – chef of Green Onions is leaving for Sweden.
A flux of terrible sadness swept all our faces but a sense of happy-go-lucky smirk curled at the edge of our lips to be lucky enough to take part in their incredible journey, after ten months, after hundreds and maybe thousands of mouths fed, comes to a stand still – we could be the last but hopefully just the last at the interim.
Claire announced that they were making what they believed to be their most successful dishes for us tonight. Typical Yorkshire favourites - where they are from.
We were lucky enough to sit with some vegetarians because two salad bowls came to our table! There was the black pudding salad – which I was totally unsure of but upon entering my mouth and sitting on my tongue for a while, my taste buds were dancing MC Hammer style in unison.
There must have been some pesto dressing on the sliced black pudding with fried bread as croutons and watercress. We shared the vegi-option of Jerusalem Artichoke – it was really one of the best salads I have had.
As the chit-chat continued and the wine flowing, we were served two pies- one with chicken and one with mushrooms. They were both huge pies sitting on our table for six when it should have been for 10. We were very lucky. They tasted delicious. The generous filling of chicken was ever so succulent and full. The crust is buttery, crunchy, crispy and everything you could expect from a great pie!
This was served with kale which they cooked to perfection, with perfect seasoning. We loved it. We ate it all – pinching off the poor vegetarian’s pie who were fighting over their fabulous mushroom pie full of the perfect balance of mushroom and cream. Exquisite!
Claire, Billy & Lucy got the food, the service spot on. They left adequate time in between courses and they changed our plates and cutlery (more than what we do sometimes he he). After ten months, they were like clock work.
For dessert, we all got a generous amount of Yorkshire Parkin with Rhubarb. Simon nor I are fans of rhubarb so left it but the parkin was great. It was not a good idea for of mine to eat everything! I really pushed myself over the edge that night. Was so stuffed and kept pouring cream over my dessert like it was good for my waistline.
Claire joined us for tea and coffee, it was really the first time we met. We gave each other a big hug. For three seconds, some weight had been lifted off Claire’s shoulders. She looked ever so tired and exhausted as she has to work all week at her ‘day job’ then do three nights in a row in the evening.
“I feel gutted.” Claire answers in response to it maybe being the last weekend, looking down at the edge of the table. We are gutted too.
Guests began to disperse and we were the last ones sharing our experiences, getting to know Billy and Lucy.
We were really lucky to have been to Green Onions. They sell out within minutes of putting their dates on Facebook. Although I would curse those who cancelled in the first place – it meant that we went.
It was a true supper club experience – whatever that is. What I really like about Green Onions is that this is just what they do, and they are good at it. There isn’t any gimmick, pretentiousness or press hyperactivity with their place and them. And they are ever so nice.
What a brilliant night!
Please join their Facebook group and rally for more supper club dates. We need Green Onions!
One of my favourite Vietnamese dishes is beef with lemongrass and garlic, fried to perfection and placed over some vermicelli. Underneath the noodles is a bed of salad with a mixture of herbs such as mint, sweet basil and/or corriander! On top of the beef, lay some crushed peanuts coating the glazed beef, spring onion blanched in oil to give it colour and texture to the noodles and pickled carrots. Then a splashing of fish sauce that is mixed with some coconut juice, apple vinegar and chilli.
A perfect marriage of sweet, sour and salt.
Ingredients:
Vermicelli Herb Salad
-Vermicelli Noodles - (Put into large bowl, pour boiling water over it and watch until it is soft but al dente then drain)
-Lettuce Leaves - Cut finely
-Herbs: Corriander/ Sweet Basil/ Mint - have all or at least one of - Cut or tear into small pieces removing stalks.
Place lettuce and herbs into a bowl
Once the vermicelli is cold, place over the salad
GARNISH
Pickled Carrots
(make as much as you require - you will only need a heap spoonful per person)
-Julienne the carrots
-Apple Vinegar
-Sugar
-Lime
-Make a mixture using the above ingredients to a required balance of sweet and sour. If too sweet add more lime, if too sour add more sugar.
Spring Onion In Oil
-Cut Spring Onions as finely as you possibly can
-Blanche in hot olive oil for a few seconds and remove from heat.
-Stir
Peanuts
Crush/ Blend
Fish Sauce
Please judge with your own taste buds
- about 60% coconut juice
-10% fish sauce
-30% hot water
-lime
-blend garlic and chilli together 1:1 - add to your mixture
Beef
-Sirloin/ Rump/ Fillet - Slice into strips
-Lemongrass - chop off the head and the tail and remove the outer layer. You will need enough to cover every bit of the meat. Say about 5 stalks for 4 steaks.
-Peel half bulb of garlic (for 4 steaks) and put it with the lemongrass stalks into the blender and get it quite fine.
-Marinate the beef strips with the blend of garlic and lemongrass.
-Add about a 4 tbs of terriyaki sauce.
-A sprinkle of sugar
-Mix
-Leave in fridge for at least 30 mins.
Before frying the beef
-Red Onions or best - Shallots - slice and add apple vinegar to the onion mixture
-Slightly brown the onion mixture
-Fry the lemongrass beef with the onions until brown - nice if pink in the middle.
Place beef on noodles, sprinkle peanuts, a teaspoon of spring onion oil and pickled carrots on the side.
Add some fish sauce.
This is a salad - great for those sunny days. Its so good that it must be bad for you but on the contrary. It is really cooling and refreshing and all the favours compliment each other. As a person who hardly eats her five a day, there is salad in this, carrots and plenty of herbs so I would be happy to eat this every day.
This is usually eaten for breakfast or lunch in Vietnam in a big bowl. When you get it, you mix it all up, soaking all the noodles with fish sauce and spring onions. A great delight!
-Woven Spring Rolls With Prawns, Pork, Black Fungus, Beansprouts, Yam & Glass Noodles
-Braised Ham & Quails Egg In Fish Sauce & Coconut Juice Served With Rice
-Beef Pho Noodle Soup
-Banana Fritters & Coconut Cream/ Banana With Tapioca in Coconut Milk
We have got to put the prawns in no?
Simon is referring to the Fernandez & Leluu summer rolls that we stuff shredded pork with barbequed pork, crispy pork belly, cured sour ham, omlettes, mint, coriander, sweet basil, dill fish cakes…
No. Lets cut one ingredient out because these are absolutely too expensive to make!
Yeah but you know the prawns will make it that bit special- going the extra mile.
Yeah! Go on then!
(Fernandez & The Summer Roll)
Our weekend of Miss Saigon Menu went down really well. We had accomplished this menu before in December when we got back from Vietnam with such great success so it did appear to us – with all our plans, schedules in place – easy peesey!
Simon insisted (as he “loves learning”) on making the spring roll mixture according to my recipe while I was getting on with prepping other things. Little did I know, he started to make up his own quantities as I saw from the corner of my eye half a tub of salt falling like sand all over the mixture.
O my God Simon! What are you doing?
We also need more pork stock. He grins.
You used the whole packet?
Yeah. Licking his fingers and wiping it on the tea towel hanging on back of his jeans in assumed proud-ness.
That night, we put one more kilo of pork shoulder, one more kilo of tiger prawns, one more kilo of carrots and nothing! It was like eating a roll of salt with the finest ingredients you can get! I was ever so angry!
Either throw it all away. Start again. Not serve spring rolls or save it somehow? How?
My mum came up with a really good idea – put away half of the mixture and add one kilo of beansprouts and one kilo of yam and another kilo of carrot.
I cycled in the rain for about 20 min at 1030 pm to Longdan on Hackney Road the only shop opened til 11pm in a fury. It should have been Simon getting wet but he had abandoned the project to get on with the dreaded tax returns. (am sure he has taken a year to do those).
But we saved it in the end and they were actually really delicious with yam and bean sprouts. It’s the devil’s spawn. Says Simon crunching away. (As if I had chosen to add beansprout to my lovely recipe- we do not use bean sprouts normally because it’s a cheap filler and reminds us of cheap Chinese takeaway spring rolls).
Lesson to Simon: You can always add more salt but you can’t take it out!
Lesson to Uyen: Don’t let Simon near the salt!
Simon did a very good job with the Braised Ham In Rock Sugar & Coconut Juice & Quails Eggs. Slurrrp. Slurrrp. Simon is constantly checking the concoction. Slurrp. Slurrp. Seasoned perfectly. Spending time and giving love is what such a dish needs.
He promises to write more blog posts. I’ve got them all lined up. He says. This recipe will surely be on – it is simply one of my favourite foods – Ever! Becoming his as well! And yours!
Simon was the hero in the end, our butcher really let us down by not fulfilling our orders on time for prep but Simon managed to get us the beef rib for Pho and all the sirloin needed for our menu - I am sure he had "a word" with our butcher!
Whilst waiting anxiously for my beef to arrive at 6pm!!! - (it would have been a case of people not getting Pho on Friday), I used the chicken stock (from boil of shredded chicken salad), added one charred onion and small piece of charred ginger and five star anise. When the beef did arrive, I made the pho (recipe) stock and added the chicken stock that I had prepared earlier to the clear broth to simmer.
This trick proved to be really really amazing. It was the best Pho I have ever made!
(Won Ton Noodle Soup (we didn't serve noodles though) 
(Lovely Sticky-ness) 
