By Steven Saunders • Published: 20 Sep 2019 • 14:18
Steven with John and Nicola Morrissey.
This week Celebrity Chef from Ready Steady Cook & Fellow Master Chef Steven Saunders, proprietor of The Little Geranium in La Cala prepares a dish great enough for the Gladiators!
WHEN I was a young boy I loved a band called Nero & The Gladiators who were a rock and roll band, I was a tiny kid. Nero was played by Mike O’Neill who wore a toga and a laurel wreath crown and the band wore Gladiator costumes.
In or around 1994 when I was filming a TV cookery quiz show called Eat Your Words with Loyd Grossman at Granada TV in Manchester and I met up with Mike O’Neill who told me that they had reformed the band and were playing oldies like Entry of the Gladiators (a piece originally written by composer Julius Fucik).
Most of us know this classical piece played as the opening of a circus. Nero and the Gladiators did a faster version using electric guitars, it was never a big hit because BBC radio banned playing rewritten versions of classical songs.
A few years ago at a party thrown by EWN owners Steve and Michel Euesden I met up with two great entrepreneurs, John and Nicola Morrissey. John is a larger than life character who told me about some of their exciting projects highlighting the production of their newest creation…Nero vodka.
I loved the name because it reminded me of the 60’s band and I waited patiently to see when the vodka would materialise and at one point I assumed that it had been abandoned as I had not heard anything.
Then John and Nicola were having dinner in my restaurant and enthused about the production of Nero which was going to be imminent! “I want some!” I said not only because it is British, but it’s made from potatoes and not grains (wheat) which most vodkas are now made from.
I met up with John and Nicola at their home this week and Nicola explained to me that one of John’s passions is the Gladiators and the Roman Empire, hence they called their vodka Nero.
Nero Claudius Caesar Augustus was the fifth Emperor of the Roman Empire and was just 16 when he took the throne. He brought an end to blood sports and punishment and promoted poetry and athletic competitions instead.
“Nero was an amazing Emperor, Nero vodka is an amazing vodka,” Nicola said. “What makes Nero vodka stand out from the crowd is that it is gluten free (ie not made with grains) and it is made with no additives, sweetened naturally by the potatoes instead of sugar or artificial sugar, it’s ideal for vegetarians and vegans also,” she added.
“We also only use quality potatoes like Maris Pipers and we distill in London using the best distillers who are in the main Polish.” Nicola explained that because of the way it is distilled it has fewer calories than a glass of wine or a gin and the finished product is smooth and velvety and has aromas of garden flowers and citrus.
I tried it last night with my wife Michele and honestly, it is the best vodka that I have ever tasted! Although it is more of a sipping vodka it mixes brilliantly. Michele and I love a good vodka and we both commented on its creamy smoothness and the fact that it has no after burn and no real alcohol aromas are left lingering, although it is 40 per cent volume.
“I want to see how I can incorporate it into food,” I said and so I immediately set to work with some ideas and came up with this absolutely delicious dish that you really should try.
Gladiators had a mainly vegetarian diet but would eat fish if they could get hold of it! By the way if you can’t get hold of Nero vodka which will be on the shelves in Spain soon, then email Nicola nikki@nerovodka.com she might send you some samples!
Great food is about using great ingredients, Nero vodka is going to be the greatest!
Steven Saunders’s opinions are his own and are not necessarily representative of those of the publishers, advertisers or sponsors.
Sousvide is a really on trend way of cooking very slowly to keep flavours in and the ingredients soft, juicy and packed with flavour. Below I show you a way to sousvide without a machine!
Ingredients for eight
Marinade mixture
For mini Blini (optional)
Method
To construct and serve
Remove the salmon from the cling film and brush the top of each piece with a little olive oil and then top with the chopped dill. Arrange on the plate with some pickled cucumber, wasabi mayo and little blini. Serve with shots of ice cold Nero vodka on the side!
Follow Steven on Instagram … saunderschef – Email any questions … steven@thelittlegeranium.com
The Little Geranium, Winner of Best Contemporary International Restaurant 2019-Costa Del Sol – www.thelittlegeranium.com
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Steven Saunders FMCGB - The Little Geranium - La Cala de Mijas & Marbella
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