Author: Wansteadium

Wansteadium’s food blogger Suki Orange writes:

So my long-held desire for somewhere wonderful and useful and practical to eat in Wanstead, probably with the family, reaches another crunch moment tonight, Saturday. Our new restaurant on Wanstead High Street, Provender, is opening this evening. Let’s just hope it all lives up to its promise.

From the outside, Provender looks beautiful and funky and pretty cool actually. But of course I’m not quite as shallow as to judge by appearances. The menu does give us a few clues though. Here’s a picture of it (click on it to see a full PDF on the Provender website).

So what to make of it? At first glance, I’m just not sure that the aim of being a “bourgeois bistro” will entirely translate into something which means very much for the average consumer. But never mind – what about the food.

I’m afraid that the dishes all look a little too over-complicated, too grand. I mean check out that francais! I may be wrong, but the feeling it gives is of the kind of restaurant you might go to as a treat rather than the everyday atmosphere of a bistro. And the prices… well, we’ll see, but there doesn’t seem to be very much of le chic d’austerite about them. And that, mes amis, is surely le chose de la jour.

I do know, however, that since the departure of Kylie’s Kitchen a couple of years ago, there aren’t too many places in Wanstead that you take weekend visitors for breakfast or brunch. I know too that our much loved Larder seems to be operating pretty much at full capacity, especially at lunchtime. And I know that there is certainly a gap in the market for somewhere to go during the day, with free wifi, plenty of space, a welcoming atmosphere and plenty of filter coffee and tea.

Good luck to everyone involved, and I know I’m not the only one who is hoping Provender will succeed where Cooks and Seasons before it failed. And as is traditional here on Wansteadium, your reviews are extremely welcome.

Last month we introduced Wanstead photographers Marshal Gray and Claudia Carter’s project to chart a whole year in Wanstead. Here is the latest of their photos.

You can see more of their work on their blog.

“The International Space Station whizzing over Wanstead at 17,000 miles an hour on Sunday night – Venus and Jupiter also clearly visible,” writes Wansteadium regular @nutterlane Dan.

Suki Orange, Wansteadium’s food blogger, writes:
Last month we started the first of a regular recipe for Wanstead, using seasonal produce which can be bought on Wanstead High Street, all thanks to nutritionist Karen Poole. People really seemed to enjoy it, and so I’m pleased to be able to bring you her idea for February evenings.

Love is Purple
Despite the cold snap, with the lighter evenings, we can almost kid ourselves winter is slowly coming to an end. Yet this time of year is particularly lean for fresh seasonal vegetables – but fortunately, one of the best is available – purple sprouting broccoli. This recipe is based on a Southern Italian one – Oricchiette alla cime di rapa e peperoncino. Translated – Ear-shaped pasta with turnip tops and chilli. If you can’t get hold of Oricchiette, any smallish pasta will work, such as Conchiglie or Farfalle.

To increase the healthy aspect of the dish I’ve used wholewheat pasta – now becoming more popular; the slightly nutty taste goes particularly well with the strong flavours in this recipe.

By all means increase or decrease the quantities of chilli, anchovy and garlic to taste. And vegetarians can also omit the non-authentic chorizo. But I think the taste is a great match with the broccoli and makes this a more substantial main course.

Appropriately, with this being the month of St Valentine, broccoli is particularly good for the heart. Purple Sprouting or tenderstem broccoli is in season and available at Harvey’s Greengrocers; though, should the snow prove a problem for this loving vegetable, regular broccoli will work just as well. Best to eat it as you buy it, but it will keep in a cool place for a few days.

Check out the choice of pastas in The Larder on Wanstead High Street and note this dish works best with the smaller shapes.

Broccoli and Chorizo Pasta
Serves 3-4

400g wholewheat pasta
170g purple sprouting broccoli
1 tbsp pine nuts (toasted)
1 tbsp olive oil
60g chorizo finely sliced
2 anchovy fillets
2 garlic cloves
1 large red chilli (de-seeded and finely diced)
2 x tbsp parsley (finely chopped)
Black pepper & salt

Method

• Place the pasta in boiling water and cook for 8 minutes, or until it is just cooked through.
• Trim and blanch the broccoli in boiling water for 4 minutes then remove from the heat and drain, reserving a little of the cooking water.
• Toast the pine nuts in a dry pan for 2 minutes.
• Gently sauté the chorizo, garlic, anchovy and chilli in the olive oil (keep a little chilli back to dress the dish).
• Add the cooked pasta and broccoli to the frying pan and mix well. Add a little of the reserved pasta water to keep it moist.
• Season with black pepper and a little sea salt and top with the pine nuts, parsley, remaining chilli and a drizzle of olive oil to serve.

Healthy Aspect

Broccoli really is a superfood packed with heart loving vitamins and minerals:

Indole 3 carbinol is released when you bite into it, protecting the integrity of red blood cells and aiding the production of glutathione the body’s most prolific antioxidant.

Selenium reduces the risk of high blood pressure and can limit cell damage from ageing.

Manganese enhances smooth muscle relaxation, protects the blood vessels and helps keep the cardio-vascular system healthy.

Calcium regulates the heartbeat and maintains the blood ph balance.

Beta carotene helps to reduce bad cholesterol and increase good cholesterol while supporting the immune system.

Vitamin C aids blood cell formation and reduces the risk of atherosclerosis.

Alternative ideas

You can substitute clams for the chorizo and, if you do, I suggest you add in three medium peeled and diced tomatoes. Add lemon zest to serve.

Broccoli works really well with strong flavours, so sauté it with chilli, garlic and oyster/black bean sauce to accompany a Chinese meal or quickly blanch then chargrill it to add to a salad with beetroot, orange segments, crushed walnuts, topped with a strong cheese like feta or Roquefort with lemon and olive oil as a dressing.

Nutritionist Karen Poole BA Dip Nutrition CNM MBANT can be contacted at k.e.poole@hotmail.com

Not for the first time, Wanstead folk have demonstrated their very high standards. (Though, of course, no-one likes pompousness.) This instance spotted by Richard Menzies at Wanstead Tube.

[blackbirdpie url=”https://twitter.com/#!/EddieMenzies/status/170941338458664960″]

• Wanstead’s own star media lawyer, Mark Stephens, onetime defender of Wikileaks among other causes, has received his CBE from Prince Charles.

• Firefighters rescued a dog which had fallen into a freezing lake in Wanstead Park on Friday. They later asked dog-owners to make sure their animals kept away from frozen water.

• The exact changes have not yet been announced, but Wanstead Library is to have reduced opening hours from April as part of council cuts.

• Lovely tale from the Wanstead Guardian about the member of station staff at Snaresbrook who has converted a little office on the westbound platform into a little steam train museum, complete with videos playing. More details here.

• Congratulations to James Ward of the Larder on the opening of the first part of their third venue, the historic Butler’s Retreat in Chingford Plain. More details here.

• An example of political education in action, as revealed by one Wanstead teenager last week. Mr Cryer can console himself that she went away knowing more than when she came in. (Anonymised to prevent blushes.)

• Thursday sees the return of the Wanstead Comedy Night, once again at Bar Room Bar. The line-up and details are available from the Wanstead Comedy Night website. As in previous months, we will hope to have some of the best one-liners, half remembered, on Friday. (Volunteers welcome.)