By the Lazy Tigers
So here we all are in lovely May, with great hopes of a bumper summer to come.
The 1st of May is, of course, traditionally International Workers´ Day, and here at London Tiger Coffee, no matter how lazy we are, it’s all about the workers. And what the workers need when they get home is a glass of something delicious, even if the work has only been wandering around the shops or going for a swim. If you factor in that early May also brings us National No Diet Day on the 6th, then I think the workers can allow themselves some tasty snacks as well. So here is some finger food to enjoy while you are having a sundowner or two.
Mushrooms a la Grecque have been served as party food since Elizabeth David´s French Provincial Cooking was published, and these days are much overlooked. Get your swinging 60s groove on – we never lost ours. Feel free to mess about with the herbs, and even add some tomato puree, if you like.
Mushrooms a la Grecque
(makes four small tapas plates)
– 225 grams of white mushrooms (whole if button, cut up if larger)
– 150 ml of water
– 2 tbsps. olive oil (plus extra to garnish)
– Some peppercorns
– Some coriander seeds
– 1 bay leaf
– 2 or 3 dried chillies (to taste)
– Some dried thyme
– 2 squashed cloves of garlic
– 1 lemon
– Chopped parsley
Place the oil and all the herbs in the water with the juice of half the lemon, add the mushrooms and simmer till they are cooked
Don’t allow the pan to dry out
Remove the bay leaf and add chopped parsley and the rest of the lemon juice
Serve cold with some more olive oil and some of the lemon zest
Savoury shortbread is a great stand-by for the lazy. Once the dough is made, it can be kept in the freezer for three months if you are a domestic goddess and indefinitely if you are a slut. To date, there are no recorded deaths from the consumption of over stored cookie dough.
Parmesan Shortbread
(makes approx.30)
– 150 grams plain flour
– 75 grams grated Parmesan (any substitute must be hard and strong!)
– 100 grams of softened unsalted butter
– 1 egg yolk
Pre heat the oven to 180C/375F/Gas 4
Mix all the ingredients together to form a dough
On a floured surface, knead the dough a little and divide it into 2 halves
Make each portion of dough into a cylinder approx. 3cm in diameter, then wrap in cling film twisting at the ends, so that it resembles a Christmas cracker
Repeat with the second half of the dough and put both into the fridge for about an hour
(At this point you can keep the dough for 3 days in the fridge or freeze for 3 months)
Cut the dough sausages into 1 cm rounds, arrange on baking trays that have been lined with baking paper and cook until they go a nice gold colour at the edges
Cool before eating
How about a nice drop of port with your snacks? You´re in the right place. There has never been a wider variety, from the traditional to the downright innovative. However, after a hard day of doing something or other, maybe something a little bit stronger would be nice. Try a port cocktail.
Porto Negroni
To make 2:
– 50ml of Tawny Port (a nice one)
– 50ml of Gin (with lots of citrus notes)
– 50ml of Campari
– Orange zest
Stir all the alcohol over ice and strain into 2 old fashioned glasses with one lump of ice in each
Garnish with the orange zest
Don’t forget these are appetisers. Lagos is choc-full of great restaurants and bars, and now is the time to get out there and meet friends safely in our great town. Come and see us at London Tiger Coffee in the Old Town.