Bitesize
Food in the Raw
The first (and only) time I ate live shrimp was by a lakeside in Sichuan. The folks at the neighbouring table offered me one and I bit down fast, before it could start wriggling. The locals had a mean recipe which involved dousing them critters in vodka and chillis before swallowing them whole. Whether this was meant to anaesthetise the shrimp or your taste buds they didn't quite make clear.
While the average student probably wouldn't go quite that far in pursuit of fresh meat (a night at DTMs is usually far enough) there remains something to be said for raw food. After all, you don't get much more natural than au natrel. Sushi, for instance, is tasty, healthy and, er, extremely fresh. Sushi bars are springing up all over London nowadays. They've even got one in Cambridge now. Should be only a matter of time before you see the wasabi appearing on Cornmarket. It's great, though, fat free and far less fishy than the average Union election.
The French, too, bless their little culottes, cottoned onto the raw food thing early. Crudites - sticks of raw vegetable served with dips - are an infamous party dish. More intruiging is the traditional Steak Tartare. This salmonella-tastic dish of raw egg yolk and capers served with a pile of minced beef was originally made with horse meat. Guaranteed to cause a splash at your next dinner party...
Summer creams...
Well, for those of you not busy dodging the rain showers it appears that summer has arrived. Allegedly. Which reminded me of a recipe for Syllabub I had lying around. Dead quick (even the V-P (Women)'s boyfriend can manage it, apparently) and great with strawberries.
Mix a small glass of white wine or sherry, the juice of a lemon, 2 tbsp brandy (optional) and 60g sugar until the sugar dissolves. Add half a pint (into healthy food, me) of double cream. Whip vigorously until it holds soft peaks.
Serve on its own or with berries, ice-cream, cakes, chocolate or any other convenient way of piling on the pounds you know of.