Cooksister | Food, Travel, Photography

Food, photos & faraway places

  • HOME
  • ABOUT
    • About me
    • Contact me
    • Work with me
    • Legal
      • Copyright notice & Disclaimer
      • Disclosure
      • Cookies and Privacy Policy
    • Press and media
    • Cooksister FAQs
  • RECIPES
    • Recipe Index – by course
    • Baking (savoury)
    • Braai/Barbecue
    • Breakfast & brunch
    • Christmas
    • Dessert
    • Drinks
    • Eggs
    • Fish
    • Gluten-free
    • Leftovers
    • Pasta & rice
    • Poultry
    • Pulses
    • Salads
    • Soup
    • South African
    • Starters & light meals
    • Vegan
    • Vegetables
    • Vegetarian
  • RESTAURANTS
    • British Isles restaurants
    • Dubai restaurants
    • France restaurants
    • London restaurants
    • Montenegro restaurants
    • New York restaurants
    • Pop-ups and supperclubs
    • Serbia restaurants
    • Singapore restaurants
    • South Africa restaurants
    • Sweden restaurants
    • Switzerland restaurants
    • USA restaurants
  • TRAVEL
    • All my travel posts
      • Austria
      • Belgium
      • Canada
      • Dubai
      • Cruise ships
      • France
      • Germany
      • Greece
      • Grenada
      • Hong Kong
      • Hotel reviews
      • Italy
      • Israel
      • Jersey
      • Mexico
      • Netherlands
      • Norway
      • Portugal
      • Singapore
      • Ski & snow
      • South Africa
      • Spain
      • Sweden
      • Switzerland
      • UK
      • USA
      • Wales
  • PORTFOLIO
    • Freelance writing portfolio
    • Speaking and teaching
    • Photography portfolio
    • Buy my photos
You are here: Home / Recipes / Main course - meat / Steak on a blue cheese, spinach & pecan risotto

Steak on a blue cheese, spinach & pecan risotto

by Jeanne Horak on January 23, 2012 23 Comments in Main course - meat, Pasta & rice, Recipes, Vegetarian, Wine & beer

SteakBlueCheeseRisotto © J Horak-Druiff 2012

 

As I have said before, I do love a good simile.  One of my favourite wine-related similes is this: Men are like a fine wine. They all start out like grapes, and it’s our job to stomp on them and keep them in the dark until they mature into something you’d like to have dinner with.  Sexist?  You bet.  Amusing?  Every time.  In fact, if you look around, there are all sorts of relationship and wine similes.

  • Husbands are like fine wine – they mature slowly.
  • Marriage is like wine – it just gets better with age.
  • Marriage is like wine – you don’t always know what its ageing potential will be: whether it will develop ripe round flavours or an acid astringency
  • Marriage is like matching wine with food – you don’t know whether it will be any good until you try it.

It was this last one that I was pondering over the weekend.  Pages and pages both on paper and on the internet have been filled with thoughts on food and wine pairing. “You must have white wine with chicken”, “You must have red wine with meat”… I’m sure you’ve all heard the highlights – and let me assure you that the rules are nowhere near as rigid as that.  But it’s also true that all taste involves an element of chemistry and it is a fact that, although experiments with unexpected food and wine pairings might yield amazing results, some food and wine pairings simply work together – so why mess with them?  And once you have tasted a truly successful pairing, you will understand to what an astonishing extent the wine brings enhances the taste of the food, and vice versa.

 

SeptimaBottle

 

If you are new to food and wine pairing, I should probably point out that there are two ways to choose a wine to match a particular food: you are either looking for similarities in flavour (e.g. a buttery wooded Chardonnay with a rich buttery lobster thermidor sauce); or contrasts in flavour (the sweetness of a fortified wine and the saltiness of cheese). And although I am all for experimentation, you first need to know the rules before you can break the rules. So here is the Cooksister Ten Second Guide to food and wine combinations that are tried and tested and really do work:

  • zesty, slightly acidic white wines like Sauvignon Blancs and Pinot Grigios will match any food that you usually squeeze a lemon over (think most grilled fish, seafoods and salads)
  • full-bodied, wooded whites like Chardonnays or Vouvrays will match fish or chicken (or even some pork) dishes in a creamy sauce
  • with spicy foods like Thai curry, slightly sweet low-alcohol wines like dry German Rieslings work really well
  • softer reds like Beaujolais or Pinot Noir work with full-flavoured fish like tuna or salmon; or simply grilled pork dishes
  • spicy, fruity full-bodied reds like Zinfandel or Syrah will match meat dishes with spicy or sweetish sauces, like BBQ or Asian marinades and basting sauces
  • big tannic reds like Cabernet Sauvignon or Bordeax-style blends are robust enough to match heavy red meat dishes like roast lamb and beef, casseroles, and game
  • sweet wines like Port or Sauternes are a good match for salty cheeses.

But the bottom line is that it is your palate, and what works for one person might not work for another.  There is absolutely nothing stopping you drinking chardonnay with your steak, or a pinot noir with a fish dish, if they enhance each other’s flavours on your palate.

Last week I found myself in the lucky position of having to conduct a little food and wine matching experiment of my own when I was sent a bottle of 2010 Septima Malbec and a couple of steaks and asked to come up with a dish to match the wine.  Septima winery (so named because it is the seventh vineyard opened by Grupo Codorniu) was established 1999 in the Mendoza region of Argentina.  The vineyards cover 300 hectares in the cooler climate regions of Argelo and the Uco Valley, home to several of Argentina’s top producers.  The Septima Malbec in paticular comes from vineyards at 3,600 feet above sea level and is hand-harvested in the early morning when temperatures are cool.  The finished product is 100% Malbec and spends 6 months in American oak before release.

 

SeptimaCork

The big question was what dish I could create with my steaks that would be a little more interesting than plain grilled steak, but that would be an interesting match with the Malbec. Having seen that this particular bottle contained a whopping almost port-like 14% alcohol, and knowing that Malbecs are often full of rich, ripe berry flavours, I thought I would take a chance and pair it with the robust flavours of blue cheese and pecan nuts.  Not, as you’d expect, in a salad, but in a risotto. Obviously, steak and Malbec are a classic combination, with the tannins in the wine standing up to the robust flavours of the meat – but would it work with the cheesy risotto?  First, I tasted the wine without food:  a deep red ruby colour and a nose full of ripe red berries with some vegetal rosemary notes.  The palate was full-bodied and featured Ribena-like blackcurrant flavours, with vanilla notes on the long, long finish.  The wine was still a little tannic and closed, and I did think to myself that I would have liked to lay it down for a couple of years.  With the food, though, the wine lost all its tannic edges and became meek, mild and super-accessible:  the rich cheese balanced the tannins and seemed to emphasise the juicy fruit flavours.  A very happy marriage indeed.

Even if you aren’t lucky enough to have a bottle of Septima Malbec floating around, I can’t recommend this risotto highly enough.  Nuts, spinach and blue cheese have long been a classic salad combination and they work as well if not better in a risotto – do try it out as a show-stopper next time your vegetarian friends come over for dinner – just remember to leave out the steak on top 😉

DISCLOSURE: The bottle of Septima Malbec and steaks were provided to me as free samples.

 

SeptimaSteakFinal

STEAK ON BLUE CHEESE, SPINACH & PECAN RISOTTO (serves 2)

Ingredients:

50g pecan nuts, roughly chopped
1 medium onion, finely chopped
1 large clove of garlic, crushed
2 tbsp olive oil
20g +20g butter
200g of risotto rice (I used Riso Gallo carnaroli, provided by our Plate to Page sponsors)
100ml medim sherry
600ml vegetable stock
100g fresh baby spinach leaves, washed
50g blue cheese, crumbled
salt and pepper to taste

FOR THE MEAT (can be omitted for a vegetarian risotto):
2 steaks (rump or sirloin)
a little olive oil for brushing
coarse salt (I use Maldon)

Method:

Place the crushed nuts in a non-stick pan over medium heat and toast until beginning to turn golden and fragrant – keep an eye on them as they burn easily.  Set aside.

Read my tips on how to make a perfect risotto; then melt 20g of the butter together with the olive oil in a large, heavy-bottomed saucepan.  Add the onion and garlic and saute until the onion is translucent and soft but do not let it brown. Add the rice and cook for a minute or two, stirring constantly stir so that each grain is well-coated with oil/butter.  Add the sherry and keep stirring until the liquid has been absorbed almost completely.

Add the hot stock a ladleful at a time (probably about 150-200 ml per ladle).  Keep stirring until each ladleful has been completely absorbed, but do not let the rice dry out and stick to the pot.  Once each ladleful is absorbed, add the next until the stock has all been added.  The rice should be soft but each grain should retain some bite in the centre, perfectly al dente, which should take about 20 minutes.

If you can multi task, do the steak yourself while manning the risotto (here are my tips on how to cook a perfect steak).  Alternatively, ask your dinner companion to tend the risotto while you do the steak! When you have used up about half the stock, heat a ridged griddle pan over high heat until it sizzles when you sprinkle a drop of water into it.  Brush the steaks with olive oil, sprinkle with salt and lay flat in the pan.  Cook until moisture droplets start to appear on the upper surface, then brush with oil, salt it and turn over. After 3-5 minutes (depending on the thickness of the steak) test for doneness by pressing on the meat with a close pair of tongs. For rare, the resistance should feel like pushing on the fleshy part of the base of your thumb;  for medium, like pressing in the centre of your palm. Remove from the heat and allow to rest, keeping warm.

Once all the stock has been added to the risotto, stir in the spinach and crumbled blue cheese.  Once the spinach is wilted, stir in the pecan nuts and remaining 20g of butter. Taste and adjust the seasoning if necessary.

Divide the risotto between two plates, top each plate with a steak and garnish with toasted pecan nuts.  I also drizzled some utterly gorgeous Rickety Bridge smoked balsamic drizzle on mine and that added a wonderful smoky dimension to the flavours.  Get some if you can.

 

P2P_badge-SomersetDid you miss our our super-successful  Tuscany Plate to Page workshop last October? Well, registrations are open for Plate to Page Somerset due to be held in the UK in Spring 2012!  Have a look at the programme, details about  accommodation, and if it looks like something you’d like to attend,register here – but hurry: places are limited to 12. It would be great to see you there!

 

 

More deliciousness for you!

  • EoMEoTE#11 – the Eggs Benedisco editionEoMEoTE#11 – the Eggs Benedisco edition
  • Salade folle a la CooksisterSalade folle a la Cooksister
  • Raspberry and white chocolate cupcakes with raspberry buttercream frostingRaspberry and white chocolate cupcakes with raspberry buttercream frosting
  • Saturday Snapshots #235Saturday Snapshots #235

Never miss a Cooksister post

If you enjoyed this post, enter your e-mail address here to receive a FREE e-mail update when a new post appears on Cooksister

I love comments almost as much as I love cheese - so if you can't leave me any cheese, please leave me a comment instead!

« Saturday snapshots #178
All Star Lanes, Westfield Stratford »

Cancel reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

Recipe Rating




This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. Learn how your comment data is processed.

  1. nina says

    January 24, 2012 at 3:15 am

    I had to smile at all the similes, but I can tell you that with this steak you have have half of it all figured out……the way to a man’s heart. That steak is so perfectly cooked and for someone who has not had a bite of meat for almost a month, a guge temptation!

    Reply
  2. Firefly says

    January 24, 2012 at 7:19 am

    I’m one of those that just go ahead and grill my steak over the coals and slap a sauce on it. Perhaps I need to look at being more creative.

    Reply
  3. Móna Wise says

    January 24, 2012 at 8:09 am

    That wine shot is gorgeous. I must look for it here locally.,We are of the same mindset here and drink what we like instead of what ‘should’ be paired with dinner. And I do not think you could go wrong with the risotto….yum!

    Reply
  4. Colleen says

    January 24, 2012 at 8:35 am

    Stunning photography and stunning writing here….love the similes too…must be related 🙂 Oh that risotto is definitely being bookmarked for a chilly evening….how delicious!! Well done xx

    Reply
  5. Sarah, Maison Cupcake says

    January 24, 2012 at 11:13 am

    Steak and blue cheese? YUM! Not keen on red wine, I am sticking to my new rule of only drinking it if it’s pink or fizzy – preferably both!! Pink fizz goes with anything I reckon…

    Reply
  6. bellini says

    January 24, 2012 at 11:16 am

    Blue cheese in the risotto is pure genius to match with a steak Jeanne.

    Reply
  7. The Winesleuth says

    January 24, 2012 at 11:57 am

    So glad to see a food blogger taking wine seriously as a major component of a meal. As a wine blogger, I always match the food with the wine and urge others to do the same. It makes the entire meal infinitely more enjoyable and as you pointed out, when a food and wine match harmoniously it can be a very happy marriage. I agree that you should drink what you like and experiment with food and wine matches, if they don’t work, well you won’t be trying that again but if it does, a delicious coincidence. Although there are “rules” to food and wine matching, they’re not hard and fast, more like footloose and flexible, at least for me! More of these kinds of posts please 🙂
    p.s. fantastic pix!

    Reply
  8. Andrew says

    January 24, 2012 at 1:21 pm

    lordy lordy lordy – why didn’t I get free malbec and steaks for goodness sake AND come up with such fabulous pictures to boot!?

    Reply
  9. joey says

    January 24, 2012 at 3:17 pm

    I am totally clueless when it comes to wine! Your guidelines above are great and so easy to relate to (does that make sense?) so thank you very much for sharing them!! I am definitely taking note…
    Delicious sounding risotto…now I’m hungry and it’s almost midnight over here!

    Reply
  10. Cara @ Gourmet Chick says

    January 24, 2012 at 11:00 pm

    This looks fantastic. I got sent Septima and steak as well and I just grilled the steak and drank the wine. Very uncreative of me – you have done a much better job! (But oh the wine was good).

    Reply
  11. Cara @ Gourmet Chick says

    January 24, 2012 at 11:00 pm

    This looks fantastic. I got sent Septima and steak as well and I just grilled the steak and drank the wine. Very uncreative of me – you have done a much better job! (But oh the wine was good).

    Reply
  12. Cara @ Gourmet Chick says

    January 24, 2012 at 11:00 pm

    This looks fantastic. I got sent Septima and steak as well and I just grilled the steak and drank the wine. Very uncreative of me – you have done a much better job! (But oh the wine was good).

    Reply
  13. Rosa says

    January 24, 2012 at 11:07 pm

    A splendid dish! That steak is cooked to perfection. I love to pair red meat with blue cheese.
    Cheers,
    Rosa

    Reply
  14. Sarah says

    January 25, 2012 at 8:51 pm

    I had to smile when I saw this. I recently found the Septima Malbec ’09 and tried it out. I chose it because of the year (it was the oldest cheap wine I could find!) and absolutely loved it. What a coincidence I saw it here too! Love this post!

    Reply
  15. Sylvie @ Gourmande in the Kitchen says

    January 26, 2012 at 7:52 am

    Beautiful shots! I agree with you on wine pairings, the best thing is to know the basics and then try for yourself to see what you like.

    Reply
  16. Meeta says

    January 26, 2012 at 1:32 pm

    I had a grand laugh at he first simile. New to me and I must MUST remember it! Love the risotto BORG also having a blue cheese craving here at the moment – making salads and pasta with it. I think this risotto is up next! If I get some of these lovely steaks too I’d add it them to my menu ;o)

    Reply
  17. Xean says

    January 26, 2012 at 2:14 pm

    fantastic! You just have a beautiful recipe that makes your loved ones smile and love you more.
    Can’t wait to cooked this for my girlfriend.

    Reply
  18. Krista says

    January 27, 2012 at 6:14 am

    I love your wine tips, Jeanne! I am by no means an expert and it is very helpful to have some basic guidelines to assist me. 🙂 I’m still in love with a chilled Sparkling Shiraz from Australia I had last year. Pure bliss. 🙂 Love that you added blue cheese to this. Delish!

    Reply
  19. Alice says

    January 27, 2012 at 9:59 am

    Yum! This looks so delicious, I may just have to attempt it this weekend… x

    Reply
  20. Jamie says

    January 27, 2012 at 11:03 am

    Gorgeous dish, fabulous flavors! Wow! Blue cheese sauce works wonders on steaks so of course serving steak with blue cheese (and spinach? Oh my yes!) risotto is brilliant! Mmmm can’t wait to eat at your house! Love the wine tips: I know anything goes these days and they do always say to follow your own tastes, but your tips are really helpful!

    Reply
  21. kitchenvoyage says

    January 27, 2012 at 5:58 pm

    I really like the idea of the pecan risotto. I will try without the stake, I like the mix but too many calories

    Reply
  22. Kevin (Closet Cooking) says

    January 29, 2012 at 12:03 pm

    Steak and blue cheese is an amazing combo. Fabulous meal!

    Reply
  23. M.Smith says

    April 6, 2018 at 12:54 am

    Amazing. Made this tonight. Risotto was so creamy. Great method and check out the article about risotto too!

    BF added a simple balsamic marinade to steak and was not disappointed.

    Thank you for sharing!

    Reply
  • Facebook
  • Instagram
  • Pinterest
  • RSS
  • Twitter
  • YouTube

Never miss a Cooksister post!

Get my latest recipes delivered by e-mail!

Search over 500 recipes

Recently on Cooksister

  • Masalchi by Atul Kochhar – Indian street food in Wembley
  • Barbecued salmon with blood oranges and capers
  • Roasted Brussels sprouts with feta, pomegranate and pine nuts [GF, V]
  • Love Yourself healthy meal delivery [Review]
  • Antillean
  • Festive roast lamb with pomegranate glaze
  • Rustic blood orange and pistachio galettes
  • Cauliflower steak Welsh rarebit

Archives by month

Archives by category

Popular posts

Peppermint Crisp fridge tart - a South African treat
Oxtail and red wine potjie
Nigella's Bakewell slices & the Big Bakewell Taste-off
My big, fat South African potato bake
Jan Ellis pudding - a classic South African dessert
Roosterkoek - a South African braai essential

Featured on

Also available on

🌷🌷🌷 It’s tulip season in London! Every 🌷🌷🌷 It’s tulip season in London!

Everywhere you look, these long-legged floral supermodels are adding a splash of colour to parks and gardens and I just can’t get enough of them! It’s easy to see how they inspired a collective buying frenzy in 17th Century Holland, called “tulip fever”, but today there are less dramatic ways to enjoy them. Here are a couple of suggestions of where to see them at their best:

🌷 The ultimate tulipalooza is the annual opening of Keukenhof gardens outside Amsterdam where 7 million (!) bulbs burst into life each Spring. This year the gardens are open 24 March-15 May (click on the link in my bio for FAQs and my top tips for visitors)

🌷In London, Kew Gardens always has spectacular displays of tulips; but you can also see excellent and free tulips in most of the Royal Parks such as Regents Park. 

🌷The Hampton Court Palace tulip festival is on until 2 May and the Hever  Castle’s Tulip Celebrations until 24 April - both within easy reach of London.

🌷The Morges Fete de la Tulipe in Switzerland takes place every year against the spectacular backdrop of Lake Geneva - it is on until 8 May this year.

I spotted these spectacular red frilly parrot tulips beside St Paul’s Cathedral yesterday 🌹 Where is the best display of tulips that you have ever seen?
MASALCHI BY ATUL KOCHHAR - pan-Indian street food MASALCHI BY ATUL KOCHHAR - pan-Indian street food restaurant in Wembley

Remember to save this post so you can find it later! 🔖

[Invited] If you thought Brick Lane and chicken tikka masala or madras were all there is to know about the food of the Indian subcontinent, think again! In the shadow of the Wembley arch,  @chefatulkochhar has opened his first casual dining restaurant,  showcasing the rustic, spicy, diverse street foods of India. 

Highlights when I visited included:
1. Carrot halwa
2. Papdi chaat
3. Chicken 65
4. Tandoori broccoli
5. Smoky aubergine chokha
6. A snap of all our mains - you can read all about these and more in the full review on my blog - click the link in my bio or go to:
 https://www.cooksister.com/2022/04/masalchi-atul-kochhar-indian-wembley.html

What is your favourite dish from the Indian subcontinent? Let me know in the comments 🌶🌶🌶
🍒🌸 It’s cherry blossom season! 🍒🌸 T 🍒🌸 It’s cherry blossom season! 🍒🌸

There is no season in London that I love more than cherry blossom season! From March through to April, trees in various parks and gardens in London put on an amazing display of delicate pink and white blossoms - and everything in the city seems a little more magical. This particular tree near St Pauls must be among London’s most photographed, and it’s not hard to see why 💕

Did you know that...

🌸cherry blossoms are Japan’s national flower and are known as Sakura 

🌸In 1910, Japan sent the USA some cherry trees as a goodwill gesture… and the Dept of Agriculture inspectors nearly caused an international incident by burning them as they were carrying insects and diseases! But in 1915 Japan sent more cherry trees that survived the inspectors, and these marked the start of cherry trees in the USA.

🌸 Peak blossom season is usually only two to three weeks in March/April but is hard to predict as the weather and the subspecies of tree influence the timing.

🌸The cherry blossom capital of the  world is Macon, Georgia with 300,000 - 350,000 Yoshino cherry blossom trees.

🌸 There are over 200 different varieties of cherry blossom and some are purely ornamental (meaning they produce no cherries)

Where is your favourite place to see cherry blossoms in London or around the world? Let me know in the comments and happy blossom hunting! 🌸🍒🌸

#pinkpinkpink
Dyed Gwyl Dewi Hapus - that's Happy St David's Day Dyed Gwyl Dewi Hapus - that's Happy St David's Day to those of you who don't speak Welsh! 

1 March is the Welsh national day  and what better way to celebrate than surrounded by daffodils -  the Welsh national flower!

Did you know that:
🏴󠁧󠁢󠁷󠁬󠁳󠁿 The English name "Wales" comes from the Anglo-Saxon word meaning "foreigner" - but the country's Welsh name "Cymru" means "friends" in Welsh.

🏴󠁧󠁢󠁷󠁬󠁳󠁿 The  Welsh language Cymraeg is the oldest language in Britain, at about 4,000 years old!

🏴󠁧󠁢󠁷󠁬󠁳󠁿 There are more castles per square mile in Wales than any other European country.

🏴󠁧󠁢󠁷󠁬󠁳󠁿 Mount Everest is named after George Everest, the Welsh surveyor who first mapped the peak on western maps.

🏴󠁧󠁢󠁷󠁬󠁳󠁿 The beautiful Menai bridge (spanning the Menai Strait between the Isle of Anglesey and mainland Wales) was the first suspension bridge in the world.

Have you ever visited Wales? What did you like most about it?
*NEW RECIPE* Barbecued salmon with blood oranges, *NEW RECIPE* Barbecued salmon with blood oranges, capers and dill. Pretty in pink 💕

[AD] Blood oranges are a small obsession of mine - from blood orange posset to blood orange and halloumi salad to blood orange & Cointreau upside down cake, I am always looking for new ways to make the most of their short season. Barbecuing them with salmon, capers and dill is a perfect match in terms of flavour as well as colour (or you can oven bake the salmon if it's not barbecue weather where you are!)

When @grahambeckuk asked me to suggest some recipes to match their wonderful Graham Beck Brut Rosé NV sparkling wine from South Africa, this was a pairing made in heaven, and wonderfully colour co-ordinated with their silver-pink bubbly. Get the full recipe and find out more about Graham Beck's sparkling wines, made using the same methods as Champagne, on my blog - link in my bio above. 

What do you like to do with blood oranges? I'd love to hear in the comments!
💘"Love yourself first and everything falls into 💘"Love yourself first and everything falls into line. You really have to love yourself to get anything done in this world." - Lucille Ball

Whether you are celebrating with a partner, with friends, or by yourself today, I hope most of all that you love yourself, love your body, love your strengths, love your weaknesses, and love who you are (or are becoming). Because... you're worth it!

Are you doing anything celebratory today? Let me know in the comments 💘💘💘

(The beautiful street art is London Hearts by @akajimmyc)
📸: @girl_travelsworld
Would you believe me if I told you this is NOT a p Would you believe me if I told you this is NOT a picture of a Moorish palace, a castle or a cathedral? And that you can get to it from central London in under an hour?

This is Crossness Pumping Station @crossnesset , a Grade I listed heritage site and one of London's last remaining magnificent Victorian sewage (!) pumping stations in Abbey Wood near Rainham. 

Did you know that...

💩 You can visit the building on monthly open days - the next one is Sun 20 Feb. Book at www.crossness.org.uk

💩  It was only in 1856, after 3 major cholera outbreaks in 30 years and the Big Stink when the stench of London's sewage finally reached Parliament, that construction of an intercepting sewer system for the city was approved.  The system (parts of which are still in use today) was designed by Sir Joseph Bazalgette, Chief Engineer of London's Board of Metropolitan Works at the time.

💩  At Crossness, all London's sewage from south of the river was was raised by 9-12 metres to large reservoirs so that gravity would cause it to flow further east and into the Thames estuary. (Yes, until the 1880s, raw sewage was simply pumped into the Thames!)

💩 The incoming liquid was raised by the four enormous steam driven pumps, built to Joseph Bazalgette's design. The pumps were named Victoria, Prince Consort, Albert Edward, and Alexandra. They are thought to be the largest remaining rotative beam engines in the world, with 52-ton flywheels and 47-ton beams. 

💩 The pumping station was decommissioned and abandoned in the 1950s but declared a listed building in 1970.  Although all 4 beam engines remain in place, they were so damaged that today (thanks to the efforts of the Crossness Engines Trust) only Prince Consort has been restored to working condition and can be seen in action on open days.

💩 The exuberant and colourful wrought ironwork inside is the amazing work of architect Charles Henry Driver. My favourite detail is the fact that the pillars in the central atrium are topped with stylised figs and senna pods... two of nature's greatest natural laxatives 🤣
*NEW RECIPE* Roasted Brussels sprouts with feta ch *NEW RECIPE* Roasted Brussels sprouts with feta cheese, pomegranate and pine nuts

Ever noticed how you are affected by colours? 🌈

Maybe some colours make you agitated and some make you relaxed. Or maybe you find yourself inexplicably attracted to a particular colour (oh, hi teal and aqua!💙). On the basis that all colours have a wavelength, and that those outside the visible spectrum can affect us, it makes sense that the colours we see can affect our mood or even our physiology. Did you know for instance that exposure to red light can increase your blood pressure and heart rate? Are there any colours that you find yourself particularly attracted to or affected by?

The pretty colours of these roasted Brussels sprouts with feta cheese, pomegranate and pine nuts will be the first things that attract you to this dish - but it is the delicious combination of flavours and textures that will keep you coming back for more!

The recipe (and more about how colour affects us mentally and physically) is now live on my blog - click the live link in my profile and remember to like and bookmark this post to see more Cooksister in your Instagram feed ❤️
Perspective: a particular attitude towards or way Perspective: a particular attitude towards or way of regarding something.

Perspective is the one thing that the Covid-19 pandemic has given us plenty of. It has certainly made us re-evaluate what is truly important, and also what we did and didn't enjoy about our lives  before the pandemic and its associated lockdowns. It made me appreciate how much happiness my house, my job, my friends, my own company and my running bring to my life (and how fortunate I am to have all these things). But it also brought home how much I enjoy and miss travel, the theatre, and the luxury of reataurant visits at the drop of a hat. I don't think words can describe my joy at sipping the first coffee purchased from a coffee shop in summer 2020 as lockdown eased. It's the little things...

One of the things I have enjoyed and will not miss as the world creeps back to normality is the absence of crowds in what is usually a crowded city. On the occasions that I have been in central London since the start of the pandemic, streets have been blissfully empty and it has felt as if I were discovering my city anew. This glorious perspective (hah!) of St Paul's Cathedral normally requires a long wait while a queue of tourists and "influencers" ahead of you pose for photos - but on this glorious day last Spring it was almost deserted. I will miss that...

Is there anything you will miss as Covid-19 restrictions start to be lifted?
Load More... Follow me on Instagram

Follow Jeanne Horak-Druiff's board Recipes by Cooksister on Pinterest.

Cooksister

The South African Food and Wine Blog Directory

The South African Food and Wine Blog Directory

  • Facebook
  • Instagram
  • Pinterest
  • RSS
  • Twitter

Jeanne Horak is a freelance food and travel writer; recipe developer and photographer. South African by birth and Londoner by choice, Jeanne has been writing about food and travel on Cooksister since 2004. She is a popular speaker on food photography and writing has also contributed articles, recipes and photos to a number of online and print publications. Jeanne has also worked with a number of destination marketers to promote their city or region. Please get in touch to work with her Read More…

Latest Recipes

Salmon with blood oranges dill and capers
Brussels sprouts with feta and pomegranate
Roast lamb with pomegranate glaze
Blood orange & pistachio galettes
Cauliflower topped steak with melted cheese
Plate of potted smoked salmon with slaw and a glass of champagne
bowls of pistachio pomegranate bircher muesli
Brussels sprouts with chorizo & hazelnuts

SITEMAP

Home

Contact

About me

Recipe Index

Restaurant Index

Copyright & Disclaimer

Cookies & privacy policy




blog counter

© 2004 - 2022 · Jeanne Horak unless otherwise stated - ALL RIGHTS RESERVED. You may not reproduce any text, excerpts or images without my prior permission. Site by RTW Labs

Copyright © 2022 · Cooksister on Genesis Framework · WordPress · Log in

Cooksister cookie consent
We use cookies to ensure you receive the best experience on our site. If you continue to use this site, you are agreeing to our terms and conditions. Accept
Privacy & Cookies Policy

Privacy Overview

This website uses cookies to improve your experience while you navigate through the website. Out of these, the cookies that are categorized as necessary are stored on your browser as they are essential for the working of basic functionalities of the website. We also use third-party cookies that help us analyze and understand how you use this website. These cookies will be stored in your browser only with your consent. You also have the option to opt-out of these cookies. But opting out of some of these cookies may affect your browsing experience.
Necessary
Always Enabled
Necessary cookies are absolutely essential for the website to function properly. This category only includes cookies that ensures basic functionalities and security features of the website. These cookies do not store any personal information.
Non-necessary
Any cookies that may not be particularly necessary for the website to function and is used specifically to collect user personal data via analytics, ads, other embedded contents are termed as non-necessary cookies. It is mandatory to procure user consent prior to running these cookies on your website.
SAVE & ACCEPT