(Note: recipe at end)
Chef Peter Gordon, whom many consider the ‘godfather’ of fusion cuisine, is proud to be a patron of RAFT.
“I personally am very aware of how skin disfigurement can affect peoples’ lives, and am therefore thrilled to be an ambassador for RAFT’s Wound Healing Appeal,” says Peter.
“I know how important and often life-changing the work that RAFT does—and will continue to do—really is. Improving the lives of people who have suffered injuries or disfigurement, along with invaluable research into skin cancer and ways in which to prevent it, are key to what RAFT is all about.
“I really think it is important that people become more aware of how profoundly lives can be affected by skin disfiguring illnesses and accidents, and the ways in which they can help.”
Peter is renowned for his unique culinary philosophy, influenced by his extensive travels around the world.
Growing up in a small town in New Zealand, Peter didn’t discover avocados or sushi until he moved to Australia in his late teens where he studied cooking. Form there he travelled to Asia where a whole new culinary world opened before his eyes. This was to become the greatest influence on his culinary style.
In 1986, he returned to Wellington, New Zealand, to set up the kitchen at the original The Sugar Club restaurant. In 1989, after two and a half years running The Sugar Club kitchen, Peter made the move to London, where he gradually introduced his eclectic style of cuisine, now called fusion. He left The Sugar Club in November 1999 to begin various solo projects, culminating with the opening of The Providores and Tapa Room in 2001
Peter is widely recognised as a strong promoter of the food industry in both New Zealand and the UK where he uses his culinary skills to raise money for numerous charities – such as RAFT. His annual charity event for leukaemia in the UK, Who’s Cooking Dinner?, has raised more than £4 million over 14 years.
Story behind the dinner
In 1994, in Australia, Peter’s sister, Tracey, was diagnosed with acute myeloid leukaemia. Later that year, he donated bone marrow to her. On the opposite side of the world, having also been diagnosed with chronic myeloid leukaemia, restaurateur Chris Corbin was undergoing a bone marrow transplant in Hammersmith Hospital.
Following his sister’s full recovery, Peter decided that he wanted to raise money to help similar families battling with leukaemia and he joined forces with Chris to create the dinner and make it an annual event.
The recipe that follows is very typical Peter in which he brings home the taste of Asia but with ingredients which can be bought in the UK.
“Fusion [cooking] can create the most stimulating meal you’ll ever eat,” he says. “It’s fun and it’s playful. It’s simply one of many cuisines, and it happily sits amongst them like a magpie, borrowing from them all.”
If you enjoy Peter’s take on cooking, eight cookbooks of his are available on Amazon.co.uk. Some recipes can also be found on the BBC’s cooking site.
Spicy prawn noodle ‘laksa’
(serves 1)
Ingredients
· 5 large raw king prawns
· 1 bulb garlic, peeled and chopped
· 1 stick fresh lemongrass, chopped
· 55g/2oz fresh root ginger, chopped
· dash vegetable oil
· ¼ tsp ground coriander
· ¼ tsp ground cumin
· ¼ tsp garam masala
· ¼ tsp smoked paprika
· ¼ tsp ground turmeric
· pinch chilli flakes
· 1 star anise
· small handful fresh basil leaves, chopped, plus extra for garnish
· 300ml/½ pint hot water
· salt and freshly ground black pepper
· pinch caster sugar
· 55g/2oz spaghetti, broken into pieces
· 2 tsp sesame oil
· pinch garam masala
· ½ lemon, zest only
Preparation method
1. Remove the heads from the prawns and peel the shells, leaving the very tip of the tail intact. Place the prawn heads and shells into a small food processor. Remove the intestine that runs down the back of each prawn with a sharp knife and set the peeled prawns aside.
2. Add the garlic, lemongrass and ginger to the food processor and blend until you have a coarse mixture.
3. Add a dash of vegetable oil into a hot saucepan, add the blended mixture and add the ground coriander, cumin, garam masala, paprika, turmeric, chilli flakes, star anise and basil. Fry for 1-2 minutes over a low heat, stirring frequently.
4. Add the water to the saucepan and bring to the boil. Reduce the heat and simmer for ten minutes. Season with salt and freshly ground black pepper and add a pinch of sugar. Drain through a sieve into a clean saucepan. Add the broken spaghetti, bring to a gentle simmer and cook until the spaghetti is cooked through and al dente.
5. Heat the sesame oil in a frying pan, add the prepared prawns and another pinch of garam masala. Fry the prawns for 2-3 minutes or until they turn pink and are completely cooked through, then add to the broth.
6. To serve, pour the broth into a serving bowl and top with fresh basil leaves and lemon zest, to garnish.