Building with care, with Edvin Memaj (Optimal Build)

This week, I'm sitting down with my wonderful builder and friend, Edi, and we spill all of the tea on all things home renovations. Edi's personal story is a fascinating one in itself. He moved to London from Albania at the age of 16, and through grit and sheer determination, he managed to work his way up in the building industry. He's now the co-founder of Optimal Build, a highly sought-after boutique building company, which he runs with his business partner, Jon, working alongside award-winning architects on selected projects in London. In a world where builders generally have a bit of a bad rep, finding someone as reliable and personable as Eddie is truly striking gold.

We talked about our shared experience working together on my home, red flags when choosing a builder, and doing your homework ahead of tender to ensure you get an accurate quote. What is more disruptive, a loft or a kitchen extension? And finally, a subject I know you all love, which is Reno ballpark figures. And if you stick with the conversation towards the end, you'll hear us answering a few listeners' questions – so do stay tuned for that.

As you might have noticed, this episode is slightly longer than my average episode, partly because Edi and I love the chat, but mostly because I genuinely think it contains so much good information. It's pure innovation gold, and I find it really hard to cut it down to less than an hour and a half.

I really do hope you find it useful – I wish I had this kind of conversation to listen to before starting my project. If you do find it useful, I would be so, so grateful if you could support the podcast in some way. And your support can take many forms: something I would really love you to do is to take a moment to leave a review on Apple Podcasts or a comment if you're listening from Spotify.

But you can also just share it on social media, share it with people who you think might benefit from it, or even just simply follow and subscribe, that already does a lot!

Thank you for your support,

Martina

For Edi, I created a menu inspired by one of my new favourite discoveries in the Avantcha collection: their Organic Lapsang Bai Mu Dan – a gorgeous smokey white tea (coincidentally, Edi says in the podcast how it reminded him of his home in Albania and their tradition of smoking meats).

To complement the smokey and earthy profile of the tea, I made a velvety corn soup with smoked cheddar, followed by a Shiitake and truffle tart. to bring contrast to the menu, I made a winter salad using a radicchio variety from my hometown full of contrasts: with fennel and apple bringing freshness and an anchovy-date vinaigrette adding a sweet and umami touch.

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Smooth Corn Soup with Smoked Cheddar

Serves: 4
Prep Time: 10 minutes
Cook Time: 20 minutes

Ingredients

• 4 fresh corn cobs

• 2 tbsp olive oil

• 1 small onion, finely chopped

• 500ml (2 cups) vegetable stock

• 250ml (1 cup) oat milk

• 75g (½ cup) smoked cheddar cheese, grated

• Salt and pepper, to taste

• 1 pinch of grated nutmeg

• Optional garnish: fresh herbs (I used Perilla, but tarragon or parsley would work too)

Method

1. slice the kernels off the cobs and set them aside. Reserve the cobs to simmer with the stock for extra flavour.

2. Heat the oil in a large pot over medium heat. Add the onion, cooking until softened and fragrant (about 5 minutes).

3. Add the corn kernels and sauté for 2-3 minutes.

4. Stir in the vegetable stock and corn cobs. Bring to a boil, then reduce heat and simmer for 10-15 minutes, allowing the flavours to meld.

5. Remove the corn cobs and blend the soup until smooth using an immersion blender or in batches in a countertop blender. Return the soup to the pot.

6. Stir in the grated smoked cheddar cheese until melted and fully incorporated.

7. Stir in the oat milk and heat gently, but do not let the soup boil.

8. For an extra smooth and velvety soup, strain it through a colander before serving.

9. Taste and adjust the seasoning with salt and pepper. Ladle the soup into bowls and garnish with your choice of fresh herbs.

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3 layers Shiitake mushroom tart with truffle-infused shortcrust

Serves: 4
Prep Time: 45 minutes
Cook Time: 45 minutes
Chilling Time: 30 minutes

Ingredients

For the Shortcrust Pastry:

• 200g (1 ⅔ cups) all-purpose flour

• 100g (7 tbsp) unsalted butter, chilled and cubed

• 1 tsp truffle powder

• 1 tbsp mushroom powder

• 2–3 tbsp iced water

• Pinch of salt

For the Shiitake cream (Bottom Layer):

• 300g (10 oz) fresh shiitake mushrooms, chopped

• 1 tbsp olive oil

• 1 small onion, finely chopped

• 60ml (¼ cup) dry white wine

• 100ml (⅓ cup + 1 tbsp) heavy cream

• 1tsp flour

• Salt and pepper, to taste

For the Sautéed Button Mushroom Layer (Middle):

• 150g (5 oz) button mushrooms, finely chopped

• 1 tbsp butter

• 1 garlic clove, minced

• Salt and pepper, to taste

For the Miso-Honey Glazed Shiitake (Top):

• 12 medium shiitake mushrooms (whole, stems removed)

• 1 tbsp white miso paste

• 1 tsp honey

• 1 tsp soy sauce

• 1 tbsp olive oil

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Method

1. Make the Shortcrust Pastry:

1. In a large bowl, mix the flour, salt, truffle powder, and mushroom powder.

2. Rub in the butter until the mixture resembles breadcrumbs.

3. Add the icy water, mixing just until the dough comes together. Take care to not overwork it, you still want to see some butter flakes in the dough.

4. Shape the dough into a disk, wrap in cling film, and chill for 30 minutes.

2. Prepare the Shiitake Cream:

1. Heat olive oil in a pan over medium heat. Sauté the onions until softened, about 5 minutes.

2. Add the chopped shiitake mushrooms and cook until they release their moisture, about 7–8 minutes. Sprinkle them with the flour and mix (this will thicken the cream).

3. Pour in the white wine, cooking until mostly evaporated.

4. Blend the mixture with the heavy cream until smooth. Season with salt and pepper. Set aside to cool.

3. Cook the Sautéed Button Mushrooms:

1. Melt butter in a pan over medium heat. Add garlic and sauté until fragrant, about 1 minute.

2. Add the chopped button mushrooms and cook until tender, about 5 minutes. Season with salt and pepper.

4. Prepare the Miso-Honey Glazed Shiitake:

1. Mix the miso paste, honey, soy sauce, and olive oil in a small bowl.

2. Brush the whole shiitake mushrooms with the glaze.

3. Sear the mushrooms in a hot pan for 2–3 minutes per side until caramelized.

5. Assemble the Tart:

1. Preheat the oven to 180°C (350°F).

2. Roll out the pastry and press it into a 9-inch tart pan. Prick the base with a fork, line it with parchment, and fill it with baking weights.

3. Blind bake the crust for 15 minutes. Remove the weights and bake for another 5 minutes. Let cool slightly.

4. Spread the cooled shiitake mousse evenly on the base.

5. Add the sautéed button mushroom layer, spreading evenly.

6. Arrange the glazed shiitake mushrooms on top.

6. Bake and Serve:

1. Bake the assembled tart for 10–12 minutes, just until warmed through.

2. Let the tart cool slightly before slicing.

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Radicchio di Castelfranco Salad with Fennel, Apple, Walnuts, Feta, and Pomegranate

Serves: 4
Prep Time: 20 minutes

Ingredients

For the Salad:

• 1 head radicchio di Castelfranco (or any bitter leaves), leaves separated and torn into large pieces

• 1 small fennel bulb, thinly shaved

• 1 crisp apple (e.g., Pink Lady or Honeycrisp), thinly sliced

• 50g (½ cup) walnuts, toasted and roughly chopped

• 75g (⅓ cup) feta cheese, crumbled

• ½ cup pomegranate seeds

For the Anchovy-Date Vinaigrette:

• 2 anchovy fillets, finely chopped

• 2 Medjool dates, pitted and finely chopped

• 1 tbsp balsamic vinegar

• Zest of 1 lemon

• 3 tbsp extra virgin olive oil

• 1 tbsp freshly squeezed lemon juice

• Salt and pepper, to taste

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Method:

1. In a pestle and mortar, mash the anchovies and dates together until they form a paste.

2. Whisk in the balsamic vinegar and lemon zest.

3. Slowly drizzle in the olive oil while whisking to emulsify.

4. Stir in the lemon juice and season with salt and pepper to taste. Adjust the balance with more lemon or balsamic, if needed.

5. In a large bowl, toss the Castelfranco radicchio, shaved fennel, and apple slices.

6. Drizzle with half of the vinaigrette and toss gently to coat.

7. Scatter the toasted walnuts, crumbled feta, and pomegranate seeds over the salad.

8. Serve immediately, with the remaining vinaigrette on the side for those who want extra.