5 Recipes That Show London's Food Scene is Changing (Bye for Now, Fish & Chips)

Finishing a book is bittersweet. I gathered over 300 recipes in my research for The London Cookbook and had to narrow down, after much testing and retesting, to 120.

Getting down from 300 to 200 was easy—some recipes simply don’t translate to the home kitchen or to American ingredients (note the difference between their cornstarch and ours or their bramley apples and our cooking apples). Others are too fussy or cheffy with too many components. But then there are the 80 recipes it was really hard to cut. Here are five recipes too good not to share in some form.

Rogan Josh Shepherd's Pie

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Arrocina Beans with Chorizo, Morcilla, and Pork Belly

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The Rogan Josh Shepherd’s Pie from Vivek Singh, the chef-proprietor of London’s Cinnamon Kitchen and Cinnamon Club; the Arrocina Beans with Chorizo, Morcilla, and Pork Belly, from Barrafina; and the Amalfi Eton Mess, based on a version from Locanda Locatelli, are wonderful examples of the changes in food in London and the incorporation of global spices and ingredients.

The Zuppa con Sarde is found at the beloved River Cafe. Sardines might have a bad rap, but, if ever there was a soup to redeem them—this is that soup. And the Vanilla Saffron Gelato is a funny story; it was supposed to go into the final manuscript but somehow was lost when we separated desserts into two sections: desserts and chilled desserts. 

Zuppa con Sarde (Borlotti and Sardine Soup)

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Ingredients

2	tablespoons olive oil
1/2	a red onion, finely sliced
3	salted anchovy fillets
1	tablespoon pine nuts, lightly toasted
1	tablespoon sultanas, soaked in hot water
2	garlic cloves: 1 whole, 1 finely chopped
1	tablespoon fennel seeds
12	whole sardines, filleted
	Sea salt and freshly ground black pepper
11	ounces borlotti beans, cooked
6	ciabatta bread
2	tablespoons chopped flat-leaf parsley
	extra virgin olive oil

2	tablespoons olive oil
1/2	a red onion, finely sliced
3	salted anchovy fillets
1	tablespoon pine nuts, lightly toasted
1	tablespoon sultanas, soaked in hot water
2	garlic cloves: 1 whole, 1 finely chopped
1	tablespoon fennel seeds

12	whole sardines, filleted
	Sea salt and freshly ground black pepper
11	ounces borlotti beans, cooked
6	ciabatta bread
2	tablespoons chopped flat-leaf parsley
	extra virgin olive oil

Arrocina Beans with Chorizo, Morcilla, and Pork Belly

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Ingredients

	Extra virgin olive oil, as needed
	Maldon salt & freshly ground black pepper
1 1/3	pounds pork belly
1	teaspoon cumin seeds
2	fennel bulbs, diced
2	medium carrots, peeled and diced
2	large shallots, peeled and diced
1	large leek, the white part diced
2	sticks of celery, diced
1	head of garlic, cloves peeled and finely chopped
6	ounces morcilla curada
3	dried choricero peppers, soaked in warm water for 2 hours
3	dried guindilla chillies, cut in half lengthways
5	fresh bay leaves
1	small bunch of fresh thyme
1	pound Arrocina (white haricot) beans, soaked in cold water overnight
2	quarts homemade chicken stock
1 3/4	pounds cooking chorizo, sliced
6	ounces morcilla de Burgos, skin removed, sliced
1	Savoy cabbage, finely sliced with a mandolin and lightly braised in butter and a touch of water

	Extra virgin olive oil, as needed
	Maldon salt & freshly ground black pepper
1 1/3	pounds pork belly
1	teaspoon cumin seeds
2	fennel bulbs, diced
2	medium carrots, peeled and diced
2	large shallots, peeled and diced
1	large leek, the white part diced
2	sticks of celery, diced
1	head of garlic, cloves peeled and finely chopped

6	ounces morcilla curada
3	dried choricero peppers, soaked in warm water for 2 hours
3	dried guindilla chillies, cut in half lengthways
5	fresh bay leaves
1	small bunch of fresh thyme
1	pound Arrocina (white haricot) beans, soaked in cold water overnight
2	quarts homemade chicken stock
1 3/4	pounds cooking chorizo, sliced
6	ounces morcilla de Burgos, skin removed, sliced
1	Savoy cabbage, finely sliced with a mandolin and lightly braised in butter and a touch of water

Rogan Josh Shepherd's Pie

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Ingredients

Pie Ingredients

2	tablespoons vegetable oil
4	cloves
2	bay leaves
2	green cardamom pods
1	black cardamom pod
2	dried red chillies
1	teaspoon cumin seeds
2	garlic cloves, chopped
3	onions, 2 finely chopped and 1 sliced
1	teaspoon salt
1	pound boned leg of lamb, diced
1 1/2	tablespoons ginger and garlic paste
1 1/2	cups stock or water
2	teaspoons red chilli powder
2	teaspoons ground coriander
2	teaspoons ground cumin
1 1/2	pounds lean lamb minced/ground
2	tablespoons tomato purée
1	tablespoon plain yogurt
1/2	sweet potato, peeled and finely diced
1/2	celeriac, peeled and finely diced
1/2	turnip, peeled and finely diced
2	teaspoons chopped fresh coriander leaves and stalks
	For the spice mix:
3	green cardamom pods
2	star anise
2	cm piece of cinnamon stick
1	teaspoon fennel seeds

2	tablespoons vegetable oil
4	cloves
2	bay leaves
2	green cardamom pods
1	black cardamom pod
2	dried red chillies
1	teaspoon cumin seeds
2	garlic cloves, chopped
3	onions, 2 finely chopped and 1 sliced
1	teaspoon salt
1	pound boned leg of lamb, diced
1 1/2	tablespoons ginger and garlic paste
1 1/2	cups stock or water
2	teaspoons red chilli powder

2	teaspoons ground coriander
2	teaspoons ground cumin
1 1/2	pounds lean lamb minced/ground
2	tablespoons tomato purée
1	tablespoon plain yogurt
1/2	sweet potato, peeled and finely diced
1/2	celeriac, peeled and finely diced
1/2	turnip, peeled and finely diced
2	teaspoons chopped fresh coriander leaves and stalks
	For the spice mix:
3	green cardamom pods
2	star anise
2	cm piece of cinnamon stick
1	teaspoon fennel seeds

for the potato topping:

1/2	pound floury potatoes, peeled and quartered
1/2	teaspoon ground turmeric
	A pinch of salt
1	tablespoon butter
1	tablespoon cheddar, grated

1/2	pound floury potatoes, peeled and quartered
1/2	teaspoon ground turmeric
	A pinch of salt

1	tablespoon butter
1	tablespoon cheddar, grated

Vanilla Saffron Gelato

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Ingredients

2	cups whole milk
1	cup heavy cream
1	vanilla pod, split open lengthways
2	teaspoons glucose syrup or a mild, light runny honey
1 1/3	cups sugar
1/4	cup skimmed milk powder
2	tablespoons saffron threads
1	large leaf of gelatin or 4 teaspoons agar-agar

2	cups whole milk
1	cup heavy cream
1	vanilla pod, split open lengthways
2	teaspoons glucose syrup or a mild, light runny honey

1 1/3	cups sugar
1/4	cup skimmed milk powder
2	tablespoons saffron threads
1	large leaf of gelatin or 4 teaspoons agar-agar

Amalfi Eton Mess

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Ingredients

For the meringue and Chantilly cream:

2	egg whites
2/3	cup plus 1/4 cup sugar
2	cups heavy cream, preferably not ultra-pasteurized
1	tablespoon limoncello

2	egg whites
2/3	cup plus 1/4 cup sugar

2	cups heavy cream, preferably not ultra-pasteurized
1	tablespoon limoncello

For the lemon curd and assembly:

4	lemons zested and juiced, Meyer if possible
1	cup sugar
1/2	cup unsalted butter
3	whole eggs
2	egg yolks
	Lemon sorbet, optional
	Lemon zest, optional

4	lemons zested and juiced, Meyer if possible
1	cup sugar
1/2	cup unsalted butter
3	whole eggs

2	egg yolks
	Lemon sorbet, optional
	Lemon zest, optional

For more recipes from today's London food scene, Aleksandra's book is The London Cookbook.