MARSEILLE - A TRAVELOGUE

I really did not know what I would make of Marseille, after all I had never been to the South of France, in fact I had only ever been in Paris when it came to visiting France, and though I had heard many, many great things about Marseille from friends who had been recently, I had heard equally many not so great things about this “dangerous” city. 

As it turned out Marseille was one of the most wonderful places I have ever visited, and I instantly fell in love with this vibrant, loud, beautiful and unique city.

Yes, Marseille is a little rough around the edges in certain areas, but for god’s sake if you can deal with living, working or going out in Shoreditch or anywhere in East London - which can be dirty, full of graffiti and with a chance of having your phone snatched, you will be just fine in Marseille. 

This certain “grittiness” also means that the city is much more affordable than anywhere else on the Côte d'Azur, and has enabled Marseille to nurture a thriving culinary and natural wine scene, which of course was a MASSIVE draw for me, in fact there are so many young restauranteurs doing amazing things that I barely had time to scratch the surface in my 7 days of eating there.

And of course there are the beaches - the sandy ones, the rocky ones and the sunbathing spots by the sparkling blue water by the ports, so picture perfect that I had to pinch myself a few times after so many years without a proper beach holiday.

You could spend an entire week just exploring the different spots by the Mediterranean sea in and around Marseille that feel so quiet and calm, yet you are still in the second biggest city in France so have all the amenities that come with that (all your standard high street shops, a great transport network and big supermarkets), plus a whole lot of scenic day trips less than hour away to keep you busy if you wish to go further afield.

I could keep on going with reasons why I fell in love with Marseille and I am already planning a return trip to this sprawling, exciting, stunning, imperfect city by the sea and I hope you give it a chance too, you really won’t regret it.

TRAVEL FROM LONDON 

Flights only take an hour and a half from London to Marseille which is an amazingly short amount of flight time considering how much of a holiday destination Marseille feels like. I paid about £150 for my return flight with easyJet from Gatwick.

LOCAL AIRPORT TRANSFER 

Once you land into Marseille Provence airport the easiest and fastest way to get into the centre of Marseille is via bus. It will only cost you €10, take less than 30 mins and gets you to the main train station. Be warned - the train station is on a hill (Marseille as a whole will give your thighs a good work out with ample stairs and hills to climb) so it’s a bit of a workout arriving and departing with a heavy suitcase.

There is a super handy luggage storage inside the station which I used on my last day, as my flight was at 10pm, and which only cost €10 to store your luggage for the whole day.

GENERALLY GETTING AROUND
Marseille is on Citymapper which makes using their public transport network and generally getting around SO easy and pleased the Googlemaps hater in me hugely.

WHERE TO STAY: 

I always try to keep my travel and restaurant guides truthful and to be honest our accommodation was the only real fail of the holiday. 

I did the AIRBNB booking and research and although our chosen apartment for the stay had over 20 4+ star reviews and was being looked after by “superhosts”, I probably should have paid more attention to the  ‘noise outside the apartment’ that was mentioned more than once in reviews.

Why? Well let’s just say we seemed to have ended up staying on the loudest street in Marseille. There was the bin truck which appeared to be cleaning the street mind numbingly loudly 3x times a night, every night, there was also the bar right by our window where loud altercation were the norm around 3am each night PLUS as final lucky straw our apartment was seemingly infested with the most hungry mosquitos I have ever encountered in my life which meant I was getting about 15 bites every night to the point where they were literally biting my fingers...

BUT despite all of this the holiday was not ruined. In fact we laughed it all off as everything else on the trip went so smooth and above our expectations... and indeed as with everything in life, holidays are never going to be perfect.

Next time I would definitely either stay at a hotel or another, better located AIRBNB so bear with me on accommodation recommendations in Marseille for now… that part you may have to figure out yourself!


BEST BEACHES / SPOTS BY THE SEA

SANDY BEACHES

CATALANS BEACH

Catalans beach is the closest beach to the city, a good 20-25 minute scenic walk from the city centre and via the port and it’s many gorgeous sailing boats, and was our go-to beach when we fancied an easy dip into the sea and sandy beach. 

It can get busy and I would suggest looking after your bags but it’s a gorgeous beach, conveniently located with showers and a friendly vibe so you really can’t go wrong!


PROPHETE BEACH

This beach is a good hour’s walk (or a quick bus ride on the 83 bus line which has the most convenient route all the way down the Marseille sea promenade and its beaches) from downtown Marseille and is very quiet, shielded from the wind and more family orientated in its crowd. Definitely worth a visit but not our favourite beach on this trip.


PRADO NORD BEACH

More of a gravel than sand beach but we loved this stretch of beach which felt fairly quiet even during peak season. It’s a bit further from the city centre, on the way towards the Calanques national park but easily reached via bus. Even better, there is a huge supermarket 3 minutes from the beach which makes it the perfect spot for a beach picnic!


BEST CLIFFS BY THE SEA - MALMOUSQUE COVE

One of Marseilles' best features are the stunning cliffs and rocky inlets by the sea that frame its coastline, which can be excellently utilised as sunbathing spots and to dive into the sea in the most scenic of settings. 

I would highly recommend bringing some beach shoes / jellies if you are planning on swimming while at the cliffs as it can be quite painful to enter the sea barefoot, but I found these the most scenic, stunning and least overrun spots, so definitely worth a little climb and detour from the main beaches.

Malmousque Cove was our absolute favourite spot on the rocks of Marseille. Just a 15 minutes walk away from Catalans beach via lots of little bakeries, supermarkets and ice cream parlours, which comes in very handy for a beach picnic  and just below the the iconic Le Petit Nice hotel, Malmousque Cove is the most dreamy spot to sunbathe, enjoy the clear waters and admire a great view across the coast. 

There is plenty of space for everyone to find a rock to spread their towl own and we found it was full of locals stopping by to eat their lunch, have a quick dip in the sea and soak up the Marseille summer, and if I lived in Marseille I would be very much doing the same.


THE HIDDEN FISHING VILLAGE - LE VALLON DES AUFFRES 

Literally a 5 minute walk from Malmousque Cove and en route to Catalans beach, you will find, tucked away down an assuming side street, a tiny fishing village within Marseille, the Vallon des Auffes. 

Here it is like time has stopped and like you have at once escaped the hustle and bustle of the big city.
There are fishing boats, colourful huts and at the end of the quay ample sunbathing spots on the cliffs that border the Vallon des Auffes. The most charming part of Marseille that adds yet another unexpected layer to the city one cannot miss!


THINGS TO DO

A VISIT TO LE GOUDES IN THE CALANQUES 

A Calanque is a unique kind of geological formation made of limestone. They are big rocky coves forming a steep and narrow valley inland. The Calanques National Park on the far fringes of the city is a protected and highly regulated area, and you actually need to register for tickets to enter the park (this can be done online 3 days in advance of your planned visit but I failed to secure tickets). 

However you can still see some Calanques' natural beauty with a visit to Les Goudes, the most beautiful remote fishing village. My tip - book a table at La Baie Des Singes Goudes… possibly the most remote and adventorous to get to  restaurant I have been to in my life and not far from Les Goudes.

You literally have to climb across several cliffs with the most stunning views across the sea and rugged landscapes of the National Park to reach this restaurant (not for the faint hearted or those with a fear of heights as it can get PRETTY high up on those cliffs), but it is most definitely worth it all for the view that you get from the dining space once you reach the restaurant (and the food was actually also pretty decent). 

There are also some highly coveted sun loungers one can rent for the day for €25 right next the restaurant, though we went on a particularly windy day which meant the remained empty but I would come back for a day on one of those alone.

A demust-do day trip while in Marseilles and even though the area feels very remote easy enough to reach via a couple of buses that run regularly from the centre of town, just make sure you put your trainers on for the occasion!

DAY TRIP TO CASSIS 

Cassis has been called "the poor man’s St Tropez" and this quaint seaside town with its beautiful promenade of terraced restaurants definitely feels a little how I would imagine St Tropez and its air of glamour, though in the case of Cassis this comes without a hefty price tag and an overly pretentious crowd, and I loved our day trip there.

It takes less than half an hour to get to Cassis from Marseille's' main train station and the train tickets are only €6 each way. On arrival in Cassis you have to take a 5 minute bus ride into town but from there Cassi is very walkable on foot, in fact you can very much explore most of the town in one day. 

The beach is literally adjacent to the restaurant promenade and is gorgeous, sandy and clean, and we adored sitting down in one of the cafes, ordering a Niçoise salad and watching the world go by. The town also has a bunch of lovely artisanal shops if you fancy a non trashy souvenir to take home. 

Cassis felt like the perfect escape from the large scale of Marseille for the day yet was so easy to get to, highly recommended.

A VISIT TO CORBUSIER’S CITE RADIEUSE 

Visting Cite Radieuse is like visiting a piece of architectural history. Listed as a UNESCO World Heritage site, the ‘Cité Radieuse’ (radiant city) designed by Le Corbusier, was the main inspiration for the entire brutalist architecture movement -  a visionary housing unit (which also includes a hotel) that plays with lights, perspectives, and colours and left me in awe and very inspired.

You can even explore a few floors of the building (including the roof) which I did and which felt like travelling back in time, most original exterior and interior features have remained the same since completion of the building in 1952.

A piece of history that left a lasting impression on me and a detour from the beaches and cliffs of Marseille I would highly recommend.

A WALK OR RUN DOWN THE CORNICHE PRÉSIDENT JOHN FITZGERALD KENNEDY

I had a daily morning ritual in Marseille and that was a run from our AIRBNB in the centre of down town Marseille all the way down the Corniche Président John Fitzgerald Kennedy, as far as my legs would take me. 

It’s most amazing route - taking you past Catalans beach, the Malmousque Cove, all the way to the “longest bench in the world”, an art deco style curved concrete bench which stretches for 3km along the coast line with the most amazing views across the Mediterranean Sea. 

Even if you aren’t packing your running kit, I can’t recommend an extended walk across the Corniche enough to absorb the beauty of Marseille


Foodie guide to follow ASAP, this was enough of an essay before getting me started on food!

BROCCOLI, POTATO & SALMON TIKKI TRAY BAKE

I am a big fan of the good old tray bake. 

You just need one tray, good ingredients, a bit of chopping and a working oven and you almost always end up with a delicious dinner that will require minimal cleaning and washing up.

I have done a few variations of a salmon and veg tray bake but this Indian inspired take might just be a new favourite!

Salmon, marinated in a yogurt spice mix, is baked in the oven with wonderfully seasoned potatoes, asparagus and tomatoes, and the finished bake is topped with a drizzle of yogurt with a hint of lime, fresh chillis and chopped coriander.

It is almost too good to believe that this was all cooked on one tray - fragrant, fresh and packed full of flavour, a new favourite!

SERVES 2

INGREDIENTS

• 3 Tsp Cumin Seeds
• 1 Tsp Coriander Seeds
• 1 Tsp Fennel Seeds
• 2 Cardamom Pods
• 120g Natural Yoghurt
• 3 Cloves of Garlic
• 2cm Knob of Ginger
• 2 Tsp Chilli Powder
• ½ Tsp Turmeric
• 1 Tsp Tomato Purée
• 2 Fillets of Salmon
• 800g Baby Potatoes
• 6 Spring Onions
• 200g Cherry Tomatoes
• 250g Tenderstem Broccoli
• 1 Lime
• 1 Red Chilli
• Handful of Coriander
• Salt
• Vegetable Oil

METHOD

• Heat your oven to 190°C/374°F.
• Pour your cumin seeds, coriander seeds, fennel seeds and your cardamom pods into a dry frying pan and toast over a medium heat for 2 mins until fragrant.
• Pour your spices into a pestle and mortar and crush them into a fine powder, discarding the shells of the cardamom pods. 
• If you don’t have a pestle and mortar, you can pour your spices onto a large chopping board and gently crush them with the base of a heavy pan.
• Pop 100g of your yoghurt into a large bowl and grate in your garlic and ginger. 
• Add all but 1 tbsp of your toasted spice mix, along with 1 tsp of your chilli powder, your turmeric and your tomato purée. 
• Sprinkle in a generous pinch of salt, then mix.
• Pop your salmon into the bowl and toss to coat, then leave to marinate for at least 30 mins, preferably a couple of hours.
• Meanwhile, halve your potatoes and toss them in a large roasting tray. 
• Drizzle with vegetable oil, plus your remaining toasted spice mix, chilli powder and a large pinch of salt. Pop in the oven to roast for 25 mins, tossing every so often so that they cook evenly.
• Pop your spring onions and tomatoes into the potato tray along with your broccoli. 
• Toss so that they are coated in the oil and spices, then roast for 15 mins more.
• Place your salmon fillets on top of the traybake. Bake for 5 mins.
• Heat your grill to high. 
• Pop your traybake under the grill and cook for 2 mins until the top of the salmon is starting to char.
• Mix your remaining yoghurt with the juice of your lime. Roughly chop your coriander and slice your red chilli.
• Drizzle your traybake with your lime yoghurt, coriander, and chopped chillies. 
• ENJOY!

SPICY RICOTTA & SWEETCORN GNOCCHI

I would have never thought that some fresh corn off the cob, ricotta and a bit of hot sauce blended together would make such an moorish sauce but OH MY GOD I had to stop myself from basically drinking the sauce straight out of the blender before it had even touched the gnocchi.

This is the most perfect gnocchi dish for any sweetcorn lovers out there and I honestly thought it was one of the best flavour and texture combos I have cooked up in a while.

A new favourite.

SERVES 2

INGREDIENTS

• 4 Garlic Cloves
• 4 Spring Onions
• 4 Corn On The Cobs
• 200ml Vegetable Stock
• 200g Ricotta
• 4 Tbsp Hot Sauce 
• 30g Butter
• Salt
• Pepper

METHOD

• Thinly slice the garlic cloves and spring onions (both green and white parts) while you boil a kettle.
• Pour the boiling water into a saucepan and add salt. 
• Once reboiling, drop in the corn cobs and cook for 3 mins, then remove 2 of the cobs with tongs and transfer to a plate. 
• Cook the remaining cobs for 3 minutes more until completely tender, then remove with tongs – making sure to keep the two lots of corn separate. 
• Turn down the heat on the water to low.
• Get a large frying pan searingly hot. 
• Lay in the less-cooked corn and char the kernels, turning regularly. 
• Once charred, set aside.
• Holding the more-cooked corn upright, slice down with a knife, removing the kernels from the cob. 
• Put these into a blender with the vegetable stock, ricotta and 2 tbsp of hot sauce. 
• Blitz to a velvety sauce and season to taste.
• Come back to the charred corn. 
• Cut the kernels off the cob and tip into a small bowl. Mix with the remaining 2 tablespoons of hot sauce and season.
• Put the frying pan back over a medium heat. 
• Melt in the butter, add the garlic and most of the spring onions and cook until soft, then tip the spinach into the pan.
• At the same time turn the heat back up on the pan of water; once boiling, drop in the gnocchi and cook until the gnocchi just floats. 
• Use a slotted spoon to add the cooked gnocchi to the frying pan with the spinach.
• Pour in the sweetcorn sauce, toss everything together to warm through and season to taste. 
• Divide between four bowls, top with the charred hot sauce corn and remaining spring onions. 
• Enjoy!

KALE, CAPER & TAHINI ROAST SWEET POTATO

I love a good pasta on any given Friday night but sometimes I really crave vegetables, particularly when they are prepped as spectacularly as the recipe I am about to share with you! 

I think this roast sweet potato with tahini, kale and capers may be the most delicious way I have ever eaten a sweet p (and i’ve eaten many) - somehow the combo of textures and flavours works like an absolute dream and I have been thinking of making it again ever since I gobbled this up a couple of weeks ago.

This was honestly tone of the most satisfying, healthy, vegetarian dinners I have had in a long time and a a way with sweet potatoes that everyone needs to try asap!

INGREDIENTS

• 4 Sweet Potatoes
• 180g Kale
• 125g Capers
• 6 Tbsp Tahini
• 1 Lemon
• 3 Tbsp Soy Sauce
• 1 1/2 Tsp Sesame Oil
• 6 Tsp Chilli Flakes
• 3 Cloves of Garlic
• Salt 
• Pepper
• Olive oil

METHOD

• Preheat your oven to 180°C/356°F. 
• While your oven heats up, coat your sweet potatoes with a drizzle of olive oil, salt and 2 tsp of chilli flakes. 
• Rub everything in. Then, put them in the oven for 60 minutes.
• Time for your dressing. 
• Add your tahini to a bowl, with 3 tsp of olive oil, your sesame oil and your soy sauce. 
• Add 1.5 tsp of chilli flakes, the juice of a lemon and a pinch of pepper before adding 1.5 tbsp of water and mixing it all together until it becomes a smooth dressing. 
• Once mixed, grate in the zest of the lemon and another sprinkling of pepper.
• Heat a glug of olive oil in a frying pan and add your capers. 
• Fry these on a high heat until they are crispy and remove them from your pan. 
• In the same pan, add your kale, with another drizzle of olive oil.
• Peel and slice your garlic cloves, then add them to the pan with 2 tsp of chilli flakes as well as a sprinkling salt and pepper.
• Once cooked, remove your potatoes from the oven and slice them length-ways. 
• Add on a good spoonful of your tahini dressing. 
• Then stuff the potatoes with the fried kale and generously sprinkle the capers on top. 
• Drizzle more tahini dressing over the top, with a sprinkling of your remaining chilli flakes and you’re ready to tuck in! 
• Enjoy!

TERIYAKI TUNA WITH CHILLI, MANGO, CUCUMBER SALAD & MISO, SWEET POTATO MASH

This dish is a mash up of several recipe I stumbled across online and I would call it my take on health-ish fusion comfort food.

Seared tuna, marinated in teriyaki and a wonderfully fresh and fragrant mango, chilli and herb salad works beautiful with the miso sweet potato mash which may just be my new favourite kind of mash.

The perfect summer supper when you after something more substantial than a salad!

SERVES 2

INGREDIENTS

FOR THE TUNA

• 2 tuna steaks
• 2 tbsp honey
• 2 tbsp teriyaki sauce
• pinch of dried chilli flakes
• Sunflower oil

FOR THE SALAD

• 1 clove garlic, peeled and crushed or grated
• 1 red chilli, deseeded and finely chopped
• juice of 2 limes
• 3 tbsp fish sauce
• 2 tsp palm or light brown sugar
• 1 large mango, peeled and thinly sliced
• ½ cucumber, peeled and cut into long thin strips
• 1 shallot, peeled and thinly sliced
• Small bunch of mint leaves, roughly chopped
• Small bunch of Thai basil or coriander leaves, roughly chopped

FOR THE MISO SWEET POTATO MASH

• 2 large sweet potatoes peeled and cut into 1-inch pieces
• ¼ cup plus 2 Tbsp. unsalted butter, softened
• 1 Tbsp. miso paste
• ¼ tsp. black pepper
•  ½ tsp. salt

METHOD

• Marinate the tuna by mixing together the honey, teriyaki sauce and chilli flakes.
• Add the tuna, turning to coat in the mixture, and leave to marinate for 30 minutes to 1 hour
• Cook the sweet potatoes in boiling water until tender 
• Meanwhile, prepare Miso Butter by creaming 2 Tbsp. of the butter and miso paste together with a fork. 
• Add black pepper and set aside.
• Mash sweet potatoes by hand using a rice or masher, or blend in a food processor or blender until smooth. 
• Add remaining ¼ cup softened butter and salt.
• To make the salad, mix together the garlic, chilli, lime juice, fish sauce and sugar. 
• Toss together with the mango, cucumber, shallot and all of the herbs.
• Heat a non-stick frying pan or griddle until hot. 
• Drizzle or brush with a little sunflower oil. 
• Cook the tuna steaks for 1–2 minutes on each side, basting with the marinade as they cook. 
• Take care not to overcook the tuna, as it will dry out pretty quickly.
• Serve the sticky tuna with the salad and sweet potato mash.

THAI DRUNKEN NOODLES WITH PRAWNS

I have been trying to recreate the perfect Thai Drunken noodles at home for a while now, and this may just be my most successful recipe attempt yet!!

Spicy, fragrant and whipped up in under half an hour - what is not to love!!

SERVES 2

INGREDIENTS

• 2 red bird’s eyes chillis
• 2 garlic cloves
• 1 tablespoon of vegetable oil
• 400g flat rice noodles
• 200g uncooked prawns
• 1 teaspoon dark soy sauce
• 1 teaspoon fish sauce
• 1 teaspoon light soy sauce
• 1 tablespoon sugar
• 30g green beans, cut into 2.5cm
• 30g spring greens, shredded
• 20g baby sweetcorn, quartered lengthways
• 20g long red chillis, finely sliced
• 1 handful of holy basil leaves

METHOD

• Using a pestle and mortar, pound together the chillis and garlic to form a rough paste.
• Heat the oil in a wok set over a high heat. 
• Add the garlic and chilli mixture and stir fry for 30 seconds until fragrant. 
• Add the flat noodles to the pan and stir-fry for 1 minute, until soft.
• Stir in the prawns, dark soy sauce, light soy sauce, fish sauce and sugar and mix well to combine.
• Stir-fry for 30 seconds, then add the green beans, sweetcorn, sliced chillis and holy basil to the wok. 
• Stir-fry for about 2 minutes, until the vegetables are just cooked through. 
• Remove from the heat and serve immediately

PAN FRIED LEMON SOLE WITH FENNEL, SAMPHIRE & ORANGE

My obsession with samphire continues with this wonderfully light and fragrant fish dish. 

Who knew that fennel and samphire, fried in some butter, would work SUCH a treat with a touch of orange juice and zest - honestly the whole combo elevates this speedy supper into something quite restaurant worthy!

Serve with baby roast potatoes and a dollop of creme fraiche for the perfect dinner on a balmy June evening.

SERVES 2

INGREDIENTS

• 2 tbsp olive oil
• 2 small-medium fennel, finely sliced and fronds reserved
• 15g pine nuts
• Finely grated zest and juice 1 orange
• 90g samphire
• 2 lemon soles
• 20g salted butter
• 2 tbsp crème fraîche

METHOD

• Heat half the oil in a large saucepan over a medium heat. 
• Add the sliced fennel and cook for about 20 minutes, stirring every now and then, until softened and collapsed. 
• Add the pine nuts, orange zest and samphire, then cook for another 3-4 minutes until fragrant and warmed through. Add half the orange juice.
• Meanwhile, season the plaice with salt and pepper. 
• Heat the remaining oil in a frying pan over a medium-high heat. 
• Add the lemon sole and cook for 1-2 minutes, adding the butter after 1 minute, until thethe edges of the flesh look opaque on top. 
• Carefully turn the fillets over and cook for another 30 seconds or so, spooning some of the butter over the fish as it cooks. 
• The fish is ready when it’s opaque and flakes easily.
• Sprinkle with the remaining orange juice and the fennel fronds. 
• Serve the fish on a bed of the fennel and samphire with a dollop of crème fraîche on the side and potatoes on the side!

THAI INSPIRED PEANUT BUTTER & HERB NOODLE SALAD WITH FRESH WATERMELON

I ADORE watermelon in savoury dishes, especially in summer, and this Thai-style peanut noodle salad with herbs and watermelon may be my new favourite way of combining the sweet freshness of watermelon chunks with punchy, main course worthy flavours!

This is the perfect quick, yet impressive, supper for a hot June eve and a new favourite of mine, sure to be added to the regular recipe rotation...in fact my mouth is watering just thinking about it again, I may have to rustle this up pretty soon again!

SERVES 2

• 300g dried flat rice noodles
• 100g cherry tomatoes
• 1 cucumber, halved lengthways, deseeded then sliced
• 4 spring onions, thinly sliced
• 4 tbsp roasted peanuts, roughly chopped
• 300g flesh watermelon, cubed
• a handful of leaves mint, large ones torn
• a handful coriander, leaves and stalks roughly chopped
• a handful of Thai basil leaves

DRESSING

• 4 tbsp crunchy peanut butter
• 6 tsp light soy sauce
• 2 ½ tsp rice vinegar
• 2 stem ginger balls, finely diced, plus 2 tsp of syrup from the jar
• 1 tsp sriracha sauce
• 1 lime, juiced

METHOD

• Put the dressing ingredients into a small jug and whisk with 2-3 tbsp of just-boiled water until a smooth, runny dressing forms.
• Bring a pan of water to the boil, then take off the heat and add the noodles. 
• Check after 3-4 minutes – the noodles should be softened but still have a little bite. 
• Drain well.
• Tip the noodles into a big mixing bowl. 
• Use your hands to squash the tomatoes over the bowl, tearing them in half and then adding to the noodles. Add the cucumber, spring onions and most of the peanuts. 
• Drizzle over the dressing with some seasoning and toss until the noodles are coated.
• Tip in the watermelon and gently toss a few more times. 
• Tip onto a platter or into serving bowls.
• Scatter over the herbs and the remaining nuts AND ENJOY!

CREAMY TOMATO GNOCCHI WITH BURRATA

My new favourite super speedy, super delicious gnocchi dish!

Ready in less than 20mins + packed full of flavours AND with burrata on top - you really cannot go wrong here!

INGREDIENTS

• ⅓ cup extra-virgin olive oil
• 8 garlic cloves, peeled and lightly crushed2 pints cherry tomatoes
• ½ tsp. Aleppo pepper
• 1 tsp. kosher salt
• ½ tsp. freshly cracked black pepper
• ½ cup double cream
• 500g gnocchi
• 1 ball fresh burrata cheese
• ½ cup fresh basil leaves, sliced or torn

METHOD

• Start by bringing a large pot of salted water to a boil.
• Meanwhile, heat olive oil in a large skillet over medium-low. 
• Add garlic and cook until fragrant, about 3 minutes.
• Increase heat to medium and add tomatoes. 
• Cook, stirring occasionally, until at least half the tomatoes break down and become jammy, about 10 minutes. 
• Season with Aleppo chilli, salt, and black pepper.
• Reduce heat to medium-low and stir in double cream. 
• When the water comes to a boil, add gnocchi and cook according to package instructions until al dente. Reserve ½ cup pasta cooking water and drain remaining.
• Transfer cooked gnocchi and reserved pasta water to skillet with tomato sauce and toss continuously until the sauce is thickened and glossy, about 2 minutes. 
• Stir in fresh basil, reserving some for garnish.
• Break burrata balls into pieces and disperse evenly over pasta. 
• Remove skillet from heat and garnish with reserved basil.

• ▢⅓ cup extra-virgin olive oil
  ▢ 8 garlic cloves, peeled and lightly crushed
  ▢ 2 pints cherry tomatoes
  ▢ ½ tsp. red pepper flakes (optional)
  ▢ 1 tsp. kosher salt
  ▢ ½ tsp. freshly cracked black pepper
  ▢ ½ cup heavy cream
  ▢ 2 (16-oz. packages) potato gnocchi (I like DeLallo brand)
  ▢ 2 (4-oz.) balls fresh burrata cheese
  ▢ ½ cup fresh basil leaves, sliced or torn

KIMCHI & PARMESAN LINGUINE WITH GOCHUJANG BUTTER

It's been a busy few weeks but I will try me best and catch up with the past few weekends worth of recipes.

This easy to make but delightful and impressive pasta dish may be my favourite attempt at Italian / Korean fusion so far! 

Pasta and parmesan combined with kimchi and gochujang (a red pepper paste that is a staple in Korean cooking) may sound odd but OH MY GOD it is a marriage made in heaven.

It is spicy, cheesy, carby and like a hug in a bowl, trust me on this one..it's real good!

SERVES 2

INGREDIENTS

• 400g dried linguine or spaghetti
• 180g kimchi, roughly chopped
• 30g unsalted butter, cubed
• 40g gochujang
• 2 tsp light soy sauce
• 2 garlic cloves, crushed, or 2 tsp garlic paste
• 2 spring onions, sliced into thin matchsticks
• 1 tbsp sunflower or grapeseed oil
• 2 medium free-range eggs
• 2 tbsp finely sliced nori sheets
• 40g parmesan, finely grated

METHOD

• Bring a pan of water to a boil, add the pasta and cook according to the packet instructions (usually 8-12 minutes).
• While the pasta is cooking, prepare your ingredients. 
• Put the kimchi, butter, gochujang, soy, garlic and half the spring onions in a large, cold non-stick frying pan (don’t worry about mixing it for now).
• Drain the pasta, reserving a little of the pasta water. 
• Put the pasta straight into the frying pan with 2 tbsp pasta water over a high heat. 
• Cook, tossing everything together, for about 3 minutes, or until warmed through and well coated. 
• Remove from the heat and transfer to serving bowls.
• To fry the eggs, wipe out the pan. 
• Add the oil on a medium-high heat. 
• Once the oil is shimmering, crack the eggs into it. 
• Cook for 2-3 minutes until the whites are partially cooked and the edges are becoming crispy. 
• Turn the heat down to medium-low and continue cooking until the whites are cooked through but the yolk is still runny (or cooked to your liking). 
• Season with a pinch of salt.
• Top each pasta bowl with the thinly sliced nori, the remaining spring onions and the fried eggs. 
• Dust with the grated parmesan and ENOY!

CRAB, CRAYFISH & SAMPHIRE BRIOCHE ROLLS WITH YUZU MAYO

This is without a doubt my favourite recipe of the year so far and having to find a decent fishmonger to secure crayfish was 100000% worth it.

Make this ASAP, make it for your friends and make it again and again - I will!

MAKES 4 ROLLS

INGREDIENTS

• 200g sustainable white crabmeat
• 200g sustainable cooked crayfish tails
• 2 celery sticks, trimmed and very finely sliced
• 80g good-quality mayonnaise
• 2 tsp yuzu juice (available at Waitrose)
• ¼ tsp freshly ground black pepper
• 50g unsalted butter, at room temperature
• 2 garlic cloves, finely chopped
• 90g samphire (from fishmongers or large supermarkets)
• 4 large brioche rolls
• Handful micro herbs or watercress to serve

METHOD

• Put the crabmeat, crayfish tails and celery in a large mixing bowl. 
• Add the mayonnaise, yuzu juice and black pepper and mix well. 
• Cover, then chill until needed.
• Put a medium frying pan on a low-medium heat and add 30g of the butter. 
• Once it’s melted, add the chopped garlic and fry for a couple of minutes, then add the samphire. 
• Turn up the heat and cook, stirring, for 2-3 minutes until glossy but not completely wilted.
• Put a griddle pan on a high heat. 
• Halve the brioche rolls, spread with the remaining 20g butter, then griddle until charred and toasted.
• When ready to serve, reheat the samphire, if you like, then divide among the rolls. 
• Top with the crabmeat mixture then drizzle with sriracha. Top with the micro herbs or watercress and eat without delay AND ENJOY!