trong>Hokey Pokey ice-cream. If you spy these tantilising words on a London restaurant menu you can almost guarantee there’s a Kiwi in the kitchen. Lisa Thompson visits The Modern Pantry in Clerkenwell for a taste of Anna Hansen’s traditional food with a twist.

The Modern Pantry has been something of a labour of love for New Zealand chef and owner Anna Hansen. In the four years the project took to come to fruition, Hansen not only had to cope with losing a backer during the planning stages, but with the strict planning rules that came with a Grade II listed building. But once the doors finally opened last August, she hasn’t looked back. 

At only 39, Hansen already has already an impressive CV. The Canadian-born, New Zealand-raised chef came to London in her early twenties, and it wasn’t before long she had teamed up with fellow Kiwi chef Peter Gordon. Cooking together at the Sugar Club in London’s Soho, the pair quickly helped make ‘fusion food’ a household term before moving on to set up The Providores in Marylebone. Both restaurants quickly became firm favourites on the London scene. However, a desire to see just one name above the door led Hansen to strike out on her own in 2005.

Set back from busy Clerkenwell Road in St John’s Square, The Modern Pantry occupies two carefully restored Georgian buildings which sit proudly amongst the converted Victorian warehouses and design showrooms typical of this part of the city. Clever use of the available space on offer allows a number of distinct dining options. The ground floor houses a 40-seat cafe, as well as a small traiteur or shop, where hungry city workers can grab a delicatessen-style lunch on the run. Upstairs are two formal dining rooms, one of which can be booked privately, that seat a further 60. These rooms share a different, slightly pricer menu than the more casual dining downstairs, and in a time when credit is being crunched, it’s nice to have a choice.

We were welcomed to the first-floor cafe on a Saturday night, and it wasn’t long before we were chasing plump marinated olives around a dish with toothpicks. While the interior’s heritage has been treated sympathetically with a muted grey palette and dark wood flooring, like Hansen’s menu it has been given a modern update. The bright copper moulds used as light shades and oversized coat hooks marching along one wall are clever breaks from tradition. The L-shaped cafe space is dominated by a long white table that runs almost the length of the room and separates a number of smaller tables from the kitchen galley.   Though not in use while we were there, the table immediately evoked images of long weekend brunches, newspapers spread, and coffees lingered over. 

As we pondered the extensive wine list, I noted with a tinge of disappointment that there were no New Zealand reds or whites to be enjoyed by the glass. However, two Sauvignon Blancs, a Riesling and a Pinot Noir (all from Marlborough), as well as a Pinot Gris and Syrah from the Hawke's Bay, were available by the bottle. And a Monteith’s beer is on offer for those who decide to have a drink at the bar before dinner.

Though I like to think I can tell my chardonnay from my sav, I must admit my knowledge of Northern Hemisphere wines is limited. I was thoughtfully saved from the ‘point and hope like hell’ option by the small descriptions and suggested food matches accompanying each wine. Based on this saving grace, I chose a glass of Spanish Macabeo which promised to be a ‘crisp, light, floral wine which marries perfectly with shellfish.’

It was a good choice for my beautifully light starter: an omelette of sugar-cured prawns with spring onions. The Thai influence was immediately invoked as the sweetness of the juicy prawns gave way to the tang of the onions. A smoked chilli sambal gave the dish pleasant warmth, and fresh coriander added an extra burst of flavour.  Executed cleanly on a white dish, the only quibble I had was with the amount of time the omelette had spent in the pan.  An extra 30 seconds or so would have set it to perfection.

Hansen describes the philosophy behind her cooking as a combination of the traditional with the new, familiar but interesting, fresh but also challenging. My partner’s starter of roast Jerusalem artichoke and parsnip was an excellent example. As part of a lentil, chervil and feta salad with toasted pinenuts, the ingredients were not particularly unusual but the combination certainly was. With only a few faint wisps of salad greens left on his plate, he declared the dish delicious. The only improvement would have been a slightly sharper dressing. 

Our mains arrived promptly and were both good-sized portions considering the reasonable prices. Edward tucked in to a dish of roast pork belly served with an apple and pear chutney. Though they had made an appearance in his starter as well, the accompanying lentils made a smokey and interesting variation on the ubiquitous English spud. My main of salmon on a bed of sweet potato and greens was similarly well executed.  An unexpected burst of feta buried amongst the beetroot pesto countered the sweetness of the fish perfectly.

It was Edward’s dessert that really helped Hansen’s cooking live up to its goal of using traditional ingredients in new and exciting ways. Earl Grey tea might be a staple in most pantries, but I’m not sure many would consider it a key dessert ingredient. Hansen transforms it into a delicate pannacotta, trembling shyly on the plate with a dark red jelly tip of Maury wine.  

While Hansen admits the current economic climate is affecting the spending habits and numbers of customers, two wedding parties were booked for the same day the next weekend and she happily reported a busy few months ahead. As each nugget of honeycomb in the homemade Hokey Pokey ice cream emitted a satisfying crack in my mouth,  I was certain that that would be the only crunch The Modern Pantry faces in the months to come. Highly recommended.

Lisa’s three-course dinner for two with three glasses of wine and service came to £84.15.

www.themodernpantry.co.uk

Earl Grey Pannacotta, Maury jelly, Manuka honey and sesame seed wafer
 
You will need six 200 ml dariole moulds or glasses.
 
Maury jelly
500 ml Maury wine
40 g granulated sugar
2 leaves gelatine
 
Soak the gelatine leaves in cold water for a minute or so to soften. Bring 150ml of the Maury to the boil and, after squeezing out as much water as possible from the gelatine, whisk it in. Divide the jelly between the moulds and refrigerate to set. Whilst the jelly is setting, make the pannacotta.
 
Earl Grey Pannacotta
150 ml milk
300 ml cream
65 g sugar
4 gelatine leaves
½ tsp Maldon salt
1 tsp Earl Grey tea leaves
 
Bring the milk, cream and sugar to the boil in a pot. Add the Earl Grey, whisk in the gelatine (softened as for the jelly), remove from the heat and leave to infuse for half an hour. Strain through a fine chinois. Leave to cool.
 
Once the Maury jelly has set fill the rest of the dariole moulds with the pannacotta. Cover and refrigerate for two to three hours or until the pannacotta has set.
 
Sesame and Manuka honey wafer
75 g softened butter
120 g caster sugar
60 g plain flour
¼ tsp ground ginger
1 egg white
3 tbsp Manuka honey
1 tbsp black sesame seeds
 
Cream the butter and sugar. Add the remaining ingredients and beat until smooth. Spread the mix as thinly as possible on to a parchment lined baking sheet and bake at 180C for 9 minutes until a deep golden colour.
 
To Serve
Hold the moulds under the hot water tap for several seconds to loosen. Place the mould upside-down on a plate and gently shake until the pannacotta slips out. Serve with a shard of wafer.

This article first appeared in the April/May edition of New Zealand Inspired magazine www.nzinspired.info

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