'Fillet' steaks my first soap box and some thought

The concept of a fillet has had me thinking for a while, we all know the fillet steak is a cylindrical non working muscle from just within the rib cage of a given animal, sometimes referred to as 'underfillet' or tenderloin. This depends on which animal you are talking about.

but what is with Salmon fillet? an almost cuboid piece of fish, working muscle, although tender doesnt look like fillet to me, also chicken fillet is often referred to in many restaurants accross the land from high cuisine to more questionable fast food outlets undercover of a sesame topped flour 'bun' I use this term loosely as often resembles a happy shopper bathroom sponge. Anyway I digress back to the 'fillet' soapbox'.

soapbox is quite unfair, we are grown ups, and are fully capable of making the distinction of 'fillet' due to our upbringing and learning and also it ticks all the texture boxes, I could ponder now on why every fish there is has a 'fillet' but feel i may be near exhausting this topic.

anyway, the key reason for starting this is to show 2 things I have been playing with, one old (the salmon) and one new (err.. that would be the chicken), I have done the chicken before, but only recently worked out how to hold the skin on perfectly.

chicken 'fillet'

salmon fillet, poached with teryaki gel glaze, bok choi, diced coriander potato

lemongrass, chilli and plum fluid gel

roasting 'fillet'. now just need garnish for this

now finished with fillets, will post the how to very soon, but next up from me will be a post in homage for my love of peas

Alex

First steps, odd quotes and a few food pictures

       Sea-bass and watermelon

     "'The movie will begin in five moments'
the mindless voice announced, ' all those unseasted must await the next show'.

 we filed slowly and languidly into the hall,

    we took our seats and the voice continued.

        'what you are about to see is not new, you've seen this entertainment through and through,

       you've seen your birth,

          your life,

              your death, hope you recall all of the rest.

did you have a good world when you died; enough to base a movie on?' "

(c) Jim Morrison - doors soundtrack 1991

Lychee 'Scallop'

       Odd beginning, 'really, you don't say'. I make no apologies because I have been racking my brain (for what its worth) for some time on how to open this blog I can only hope that what I have chosen will suffice, many thank Jim Morrison for the words and if you substitute the second 'movie' for the word 'menu', for cooks this is all we can ever hope for really.

I have only just recently started at this job, a small private club in central London, and this blog is the result of many brainstorming sessions between myself and my pastry chef, often inappropriately timed when an idea crops up in the middle of service.

We will be posting here as often as we can with any pictures, comments, thoughts, new ingredients, gadgets, and the occasional soap box moment im sure will ensue.

Your thoughts and comments are welcomed, nay, required. should you have stumbled accross this site by accident, let us know, we all can only truly develop through discussion, and ideas are often brought on my the oddest of comments that we would usually dismiss, but can bear the seed of a new idea or journey towards the next realm of new ideas, so don't hold off, discuss and keep the ball rolling.

I leave this now, my first ever blog post, with a few pictures of what we are working on at the moment.


Alex

Fruit gazpacho, ice salad & mint

Pannacotta with raspberries