Wednesday, 30 September 2015

Milli's Kitchen Spanish Pop Up!!


Hosting Spanish Supperclubs has been hugely enjoyable for me and I have been longing to get my paella pans out again.  But this year I’ve been so busy, catering like a mad woman, that I haven’t been able to do a single Supperclub since the one I did for Jamie Oliver in February. 

So when my friend Asma asked if I would take over her residency for two weeks at the Soho pub where she’s been cooking her Indian food, I said YES without hesitation.  And now here we are. Only 25 days away to my two week residency at The Sun & 13 Cantons, Great Pulteney Street..The added bonus for me is that it coincides with the wedding season coming to an end in October (family business in Spain) so it’s the perfect time for me to steal my brother away and bring him back to London to give me a hand.

 Butterbean and slow cooked pork belly

 Chorizo and manchego croquetas

Spain is where my heart is, where my family live, and where I always wish I was. 
Our town is in the Andalucian countryside and the food is simple and honest. 

Whilst I love seeing what's new in London, the menus in our local restaurants in Malaga don't tend to change much over time, and I'm talking years, since I was a child. You buy local and seasonal produce, you cook it simply and it tastes delicious.

Tortilla

I want to bring you the flavours of Southern Spain. I've been picking fresh figs, almonds and lemons and have been thinking about how best to preserve them.  Roasting the almonds, making fig jam and preserving the lemons and making lemon oil. I’m doing my best to bring the taste of our farm here, to London. 

 Fig, membrillo and goat's cheese salad 

There will be the usual favourites, Padron peppers, tortilla and calamari…but I also want to cook you some local specialities, ‘Sopa de puchero’ and ‘Pringa’   

The restaurant will be open 26th October - 7th November 

Lunch
Tuesday-Saturday
12-3pm 

Dinner
Monday-Friday
6-10

(Closed Sundays)
There will be a Supperclub on Saturday 7th in evening with a set menu for £30. Email info@milliscatering.co.uk to book 

Email info@milliscatering.co.uk to book a table in the week. The largest table seats 8. 

Or call 07944431817

The Sun and 13 Cantons
21 Great Pulteney St, London W1F 9NG

 Toritos

Flan

Thank you to Bec @Daisyandthefox for coming over and snapping the pics of my food and helping me eat it all! 


I’d so love to see you at the pub, my brother will welcome you in and I’ll be in the kitchen recreating all my favourite dishes from this beautiful part of the world.



Tuesday, 3 February 2015

Spanish Supper club for the Jamie Oliver Food Foundation 19th Feb

A few weeks ago, I was asked if I would like to put on a Supper club on top of Jamie Oliver's restaurant 'Fifteen'. I was so excited to have the opportunity to be part of something like this, I said yes before I even knew the date. I've visited the space (it's wonderful!) and I can't wait to cook up a Spanish Feast and at last work with the awesome Kim Somauroo and the apprentices themselves to feed 40 hungry diners. I remember Jamie starting Fifteen back when I was at school, when I couldn't wait to watch him on telly (before youtube) jotting down notes for recipes and ideas. It is such a fantastic charity, all profits go towards the  Fifteen Apprentice Programme and all the chefs and helpers on the nights are volunteers. There will be a couple of glasses of wine and plenty of delicious food included but you are encouraged to bring you own bottle too and we'll get into the spirit of the Fiesta with 3 big paellas, music and cheer. I hope to see you there.
To book tickets and find out more information, click HERE 
Menu will be up tomorrow! 
Milli x

 
Scroll down for previous Spanish supperclub posts 



Tuesday, 27 January 2015

NEXT SUPPER CLUB 6th and 7th FEB

I'm running two Spanish Supper clubs in feb on the 6th and 7th 
To book your place.. http://www.edibleexperiences.com/p/451982055/Millis-Kitchen/10001/Millis-Kitchen-Spanish-Supperclub

or click HERE

Hope to see you there, come alone, or book as a group, I'll be here to welcome you!

Scroll down to see previous blog post on menu

Sunday, 18 January 2015

Cooking Paella for 1,300!

I had one of the most incredible experiences of my life yesterday. Tomas (left, friend) asked me and Cam (right, brother) if we could help cook Paella for the Town of Comares. Er... YEAH! Cam and I share a passion for food, I love cooking it, Cam loves eating it, nah, we both love eating it. 
Comares is the most beautiful white washed town high up on the mountain top, overlooking lush green hills down to the sea. Every Janurary they celebrate their Patron Saint, San Hilario with a sombre mass, a procession through the town, music, beers, dancing, rum and cokes and PAELLA! 
Cooking for 1,300 people struck a little fear into my heart. We met the team at a road side cafe, and although I felt we didn't have much time to prepare, we sat and had breakfast in the sunshine. Eating well is important in Andalucia, you don't miss breakfast because you have a busy morning ahead, you set yourself up properly, with pitufos and coffee. I'll be honest here and tell you I felt a little apprehensive being the English girl in a group of macho Spanish men. Turns out any friend of Tomas is a friend of his friends and when I raised my eyebrows at the steep snaking roads up the mountain, one chef dug a mint out his pocket and told me it would sort me out.
I couldn't believe the size of the paellera, Cam is over 6ft and was swamped by sheer size of it!
First things first, man make fire. Surround in sand.
Get all ingredients and prep out. That's over 100 kilos of rice!

Bread
Lemons!

The locals take a seat near the square, bringing sherry, bread and cured pork fat from home.
Set up of the bar, drinks and paella 1 euro each, 3 for a Rum and Coke

Views from the cemetery, a short walk from the square.

Cleaning the pan. A little grease is left on the pan, year to year to maintain its non stick. So now we have to get it hot, pour a litre of vinegar in and scrub away. Really gets up your nose.


Firs thing in is the olive oil and chicken, then garlic. It's already smelling good at this point.


We had to use oars to stir the paella. It's hard work and we took turns, the generosity and hospitality of the locals was overwhelming and if I didn't have an oar in my hand, I had a beer, a sweet wine or some tapas!

What is hard to describe is how much hard work it was. We had such a laugh but my god, your legs got so hot, one chef singed all the hair on his arm, and the SMOKE. The smoke in the eyes was unbearable and with one gust of wind you would be temporarily blinded, my eyes still sting a little today, from yesterday.
Eyes stinging...beer break.
The crowds gather! Check out one chef's son, in his little whites. This boy is going to be doing this for years to come, I just know it.

He got hot and weary too.



It took nearly an hour to serve the whole town and we were working at an incredible speed. I can't tell you how good it was to serve up the last bowls amongst the team and have a cold beer in the sunshine. As soon as I felt tipsy and the dancing began, we were whisked off to a nearby house for coffee and doughnuts before heading into the bars for a heroes welcome ;) and drinks on the house with Verdiales performing in the bar and in the square. Old and young, dancing, singing.. the Spanish know how to have a good time.





One more drink before home time. What a memorable day, we've been asked back next year, so couldn't have done a bad job. Thank you Tomas, and the team we're still on a high.

Saturday, 27 December 2014

Milli's Kitchen Spanish Supper Club

I hope you all had a fabulous Christmas! The treats don't stop until the tree comes down, and when it does we can start celebrating the New Year! I'm going to pop over to Spain mid January, but before I do, I thought I would cook up another Spanish feast in London. My brother kindly bought me home some cracking cheese and Jamon from Malaga for my Supper Club.
Here are some pics from my instagram to whet your appetite, if you fancy coming along, alone or with friends, book here and I look forward to meeting you! 
 tortilla
 Roast pepper salad

Jamon Iberico de Bellota

Gaspacho and ajo blanco
 Quails egg and lomo
Croquetas
Cheese and membrillo
 Chorizo and chickpea stew
 Octopus!

 Pimientos de Padron, mushrooms


PAELLA!!!!!!


 
(Above, Helen Cathcart's beaut pic I pinched)

Flan

Chocolate mousse, with Malaga wine macerated prunes

Fig and almond tart