Ricotta is expensive in some places - unless dairy products are expensive there too, there is no reason for this and you might as well make your own using the following recipe.
~makes about 350g~
750ml full fat milk
150ml double cream
1-2T lemon juice
1/2t salt
Heat milk and cream to simmering point, then remove from heat and gradually add lemon juice, stirring constantly. Add salt. The milk will curdle quickly, once this happens, that's enough lemon juice. Pour into a colander lined with several layers of damp cheese cloth or muslin. Leave to drain for at least an hour.
Tuesday, 19 January 2010
mushroom risotto
My boyfriend - granted, I should call him something else now that we are both well beyond the age of being referred to as boy or girl, but nothing is free of innuendo (man, lover, partner, whatever) - does not like risotto! This is the person who is happy to eat porridge every day without respite, who will eat rice on bread and call it a sandwich, who will fervently consume the most horrible meal and sincerely say that it's delicious, this is the person who doesn't like risotto. I have tried convincing him in restaurants and with my own offerings, but he is unrelenting in his distaste for risotto. So, last night I made risotto for the fourth time ever, I even added accoutrements like rocket and shards of crispy proscuitto but to no avail. So distracted was my lover by his laptop and a new property acquisition that I don't think his tastebuds even registered. But I thought it was good; and you might too.
300g or so of mushies - whatever sort you like
a handful of dried mushies - revived in boiling water
lots of good chicken or vegetable stock
glass or two of white wine - pinot grigio is good but sauv or chenin blanc are fine too
300g aborio or other risotto rice
50g butter
50g parmesan
1 onion, finely chopped
2 cloves garlic, crushed
2 shallots, finely chopped
2 sticks celery, finely chopped
Maldon
freshly ground black pepper
~garnish~
proscuitto, fried or grilled until crisp
rocket
balsamic
parmesan
In a large heavy pan, gently cook garlic, shallots, onion and celery in 1/2 butter until soft. Add rice and stir for one minute. Add wine and stir until absorbed. Keep the stock simmering in a separate saucepan. Gradually add stock a ladleful at a time, stirring until liquid is absorbed between each addition. Add the liquid from the revived dried mushies. In a small frying pan, cook the chopped and revived mushrooms with a little butter. Once cooked, add to the risotto.
Continue adding stock until the risotto is soft on the ouside and firm to the bite in the centre. The consistency of the mixture should be a little runny and gloopy.
Once just about done, season, add parmesan and butter and beat until well blended.
Serve with a scattering of parmesan, a crown of rocket and a few shards of proscuitto. Sprinkle with flakes of sea salt and droplets of good-quality balsamic.
300g or so of mushies - whatever sort you like
a handful of dried mushies - revived in boiling water
lots of good chicken or vegetable stock
glass or two of white wine - pinot grigio is good but sauv or chenin blanc are fine too
300g aborio or other risotto rice
50g butter
50g parmesan
1 onion, finely chopped
2 cloves garlic, crushed
2 shallots, finely chopped
2 sticks celery, finely chopped
Maldon
freshly ground black pepper
~garnish~
proscuitto, fried or grilled until crisp
rocket
balsamic
parmesan
In a large heavy pan, gently cook garlic, shallots, onion and celery in 1/2 butter until soft. Add rice and stir for one minute. Add wine and stir until absorbed. Keep the stock simmering in a separate saucepan. Gradually add stock a ladleful at a time, stirring until liquid is absorbed between each addition. Add the liquid from the revived dried mushies. In a small frying pan, cook the chopped and revived mushrooms with a little butter. Once cooked, add to the risotto.
Continue adding stock until the risotto is soft on the ouside and firm to the bite in the centre. The consistency of the mixture should be a little runny and gloopy.
Once just about done, season, add parmesan and butter and beat until well blended.
Serve with a scattering of parmesan, a crown of rocket and a few shards of proscuitto. Sprinkle with flakes of sea salt and droplets of good-quality balsamic.
scallops with aioli & wild rocket
3-6 scallops per person
1/2 red chili per person
1/2-1 clove garlic per person
olive oil
lemon
good quality balsamic
Maldon salt
small handful of rocket per person
Place a bunch of rocket tossed in oil, salt and balsamic on each plate. Heat 1T olive oil in pan and add garlic and chili. Then add scallops and cook. Once ready, divide the scallops amongst the plates, add a squeeze of lemon and a drizzle of aioli and serve.
~aioli~
1 clove garlic, crushed
pinch lemon zest
1 egg yolk
1/2t Colman's mustard powder
1t white wine vinegar
1/4c olive oil
1/4c rapeseed/canola oil
In a bowl, use an electric whisk to beat yolk, mustard and vinegar. Gradually add oil a drizzle at a time until it reaches the consistency you like (should still be a bit runny to allow drizzling). Add salt to taste and mix in crushed garlic.
1/2 red chili per person
1/2-1 clove garlic per person
olive oil
lemon
good quality balsamic
Maldon salt
small handful of rocket per person
Place a bunch of rocket tossed in oil, salt and balsamic on each plate. Heat 1T olive oil in pan and add garlic and chili. Then add scallops and cook. Once ready, divide the scallops amongst the plates, add a squeeze of lemon and a drizzle of aioli and serve.
~aioli~
1 clove garlic, crushed
pinch lemon zest
1 egg yolk
1/2t Colman's mustard powder
1t white wine vinegar
1/4c olive oil
1/4c rapeseed/canola oil
In a bowl, use an electric whisk to beat yolk, mustard and vinegar. Gradually add oil a drizzle at a time until it reaches the consistency you like (should still be a bit runny to allow drizzling). Add salt to taste and mix in crushed garlic.
ricotta pancakes
Inspired by the lightest, most pillowy pancakes that have ever passed my lips, eaten at London's Modern Pantry last weekend, I made my own version...
3 eggs, separated
250g ricotta {see ricotta recipe}
2/3c milk
1/2c flour
1t baking powder
Mix yolks, ricotta, milk, flour and baking powder in a bowl. In another bowl, whisk the egg whites with a pinch of salt until stiff peaks form. Then gently fold into the batter mixture. Once combined (be careful not to overmix, you want the mixture to be light and frothy), put a heavy pan on a medium heat, melt a small blob of butter and add a ladleful of pancake batter.
~accompaniments~
fruit compote
blueberries (either in the batter or on top of the pancakes)
1/2 and 1/2 Greek yogurt, whipped cream
maple syrup and whipped cream or Greek yogurt
lemon and sugar
bacon and grilled pineapple, banana or mango
3 eggs, separated
250g ricotta {see ricotta recipe}
2/3c milk
1/2c flour
1t baking powder
Mix yolks, ricotta, milk, flour and baking powder in a bowl. In another bowl, whisk the egg whites with a pinch of salt until stiff peaks form. Then gently fold into the batter mixture. Once combined (be careful not to overmix, you want the mixture to be light and frothy), put a heavy pan on a medium heat, melt a small blob of butter and add a ladleful of pancake batter.
~accompaniments~
fruit compote
blueberries (either in the batter or on top of the pancakes)
1/2 and 1/2 Greek yogurt, whipped cream
maple syrup and whipped cream or Greek yogurt
lemon and sugar
bacon and grilled pineapple, banana or mango
Tuesday, 13 October 2009
chicken, leek & mushroom lasagne
1 whole cooked chicken, skin and bones removed, coarsely chopped
1 clove garlic, crushed
3 leeks, cleaned and coarsely chopped
400g mushrooms, halved and sliced
1 organic chicken stock cube
Maldon
butter
olive oil
freshly ground black pepper
1 pkt fresh pasta sheets or freshly made pasta sheets
~cheese sauce~
2T butter
2T flour
2c milk
50g cheese
Parmesan, coarsely grated
Sweat the leeks and garlic in a pan with a large knob of butter, a scattering of Maldon, a few twists of pepper and a slug of olive oil. Partway through cooking, add the broken up stock cube and continue cooking. Once leeks are soft, remove from the pan and set aside. Reheat the pan, add another knob of butter and gently cook the mushrooms with salt and pepper. Once cooked and slightly brown, set aside and mix with the leeks and chicken.
Use the same pan to heat the 2T of butter gently, adding the flour once melted. Stir the mixture while it bubbles and becomes a biscuity colour. Switch off the heat and whisk in milk gradually, letting the mixture thicken slightly between each addition. Add salt and pepper and cheese.
Put the lasagne sheets in a bowl of boiling water for a couple of minutes.
In an oiled ovenproof dish place a layer of lasagne, then a layer of cheese sauce, then a layer of chicken. Repeat, finishing with a layer of cheese sauce scattered with parmesan. Bake at 180C for 20-30 minutes or until bubbling brown.
Serve with a green salad.
1 clove garlic, crushed
3 leeks, cleaned and coarsely chopped
400g mushrooms, halved and sliced
1 organic chicken stock cube
Maldon
butter
olive oil
freshly ground black pepper
1 pkt fresh pasta sheets or freshly made pasta sheets
~cheese sauce~
2T butter
2T flour
2c milk
50g cheese
Parmesan, coarsely grated
Sweat the leeks and garlic in a pan with a large knob of butter, a scattering of Maldon, a few twists of pepper and a slug of olive oil. Partway through cooking, add the broken up stock cube and continue cooking. Once leeks are soft, remove from the pan and set aside. Reheat the pan, add another knob of butter and gently cook the mushrooms with salt and pepper. Once cooked and slightly brown, set aside and mix with the leeks and chicken.
Use the same pan to heat the 2T of butter gently, adding the flour once melted. Stir the mixture while it bubbles and becomes a biscuity colour. Switch off the heat and whisk in milk gradually, letting the mixture thicken slightly between each addition. Add salt and pepper and cheese.
Put the lasagne sheets in a bowl of boiling water for a couple of minutes.
In an oiled ovenproof dish place a layer of lasagne, then a layer of cheese sauce, then a layer of chicken. Repeat, finishing with a layer of cheese sauce scattered with parmesan. Bake at 180C for 20-30 minutes or until bubbling brown.
Serve with a green salad.
Wednesday, 7 October 2009
asian-infused pumpkin soup
pumpkin - peeled and chopped into chunks (whatever variety(s) you prefer)
2 red onions, finely chopped
2 cloves garlic, crushed
1 inch ginger, finely chopped
1 red chili, finely chopped
1T curry powder
2t sugar
Maldon
freshly ground black pepper
1 stick of lemon grass - lay it flat on a board and smack it a few times with a rolling pin or pestle
1 chicken stock cube
1-2 chopped tomatoes
water
milk - or coconut milk if desired
Cook the pumpkin in boiling water until soft, drain and set aside. Sweat the onions, garlic, ginger and chili in oil until transparent. Add the curry powder and stock. Add all other ingredients, except the milk and chopped tomatoes. Cook for 5 minutes, remove from heat, fish out the lemon grass and puree the remaining pumpkin mixture with a hand-held blender. Once smooth, return to the heat, add the milk and chopped tomatoes and cook gently for a further 5 minutes. Serve with a dollop of yogurt and scattering of coriander leaves.
2 red onions, finely chopped
2 cloves garlic, crushed
1 inch ginger, finely chopped
1 red chili, finely chopped
1T curry powder
2t sugar
Maldon
freshly ground black pepper
1 stick of lemon grass - lay it flat on a board and smack it a few times with a rolling pin or pestle
1 chicken stock cube
1-2 chopped tomatoes
water
milk - or coconut milk if desired
Cook the pumpkin in boiling water until soft, drain and set aside. Sweat the onions, garlic, ginger and chili in oil until transparent. Add the curry powder and stock. Add all other ingredients, except the milk and chopped tomatoes. Cook for 5 minutes, remove from heat, fish out the lemon grass and puree the remaining pumpkin mixture with a hand-held blender. Once smooth, return to the heat, add the milk and chopped tomatoes and cook gently for a further 5 minutes. Serve with a dollop of yogurt and scattering of coriander leaves.
peach & ginger duck with sweet potato mash
2 peaches, peeled and sliced
4 small or 2 medium red onions, sliced into segments
squeeze of lemon
2T balsamic vinegar
1T dark soy sauce
1 inch ginger, grated
1T honey
400g duck pieces
In a heavy pan, soften the onions gently in olive oil until transparent, add ginger and peaches. Cook for a couple of minutes and add all the other ingredients except the duck. Cook gently for several minutes, add a little water if required.
Remove the onion and peach mixture from the pan and set aside. Turn up the heat, add some oil and brown the duck. Add the onion and peach mixture and cook for a further few minutes, until the duck is just cooked.
Serve on sweet potato mash with an asian leaf salad, splashed with olive oil and balsamic.
~sweet potato mash~
cook for 4 large sweet potatoes in boiling water. once cooked, mash with a knob of butter. season and serve.
4 small or 2 medium red onions, sliced into segments
squeeze of lemon
2T balsamic vinegar
1T dark soy sauce
1 inch ginger, grated
1T honey
400g duck pieces
In a heavy pan, soften the onions gently in olive oil until transparent, add ginger and peaches. Cook for a couple of minutes and add all the other ingredients except the duck. Cook gently for several minutes, add a little water if required.
Remove the onion and peach mixture from the pan and set aside. Turn up the heat, add some oil and brown the duck. Add the onion and peach mixture and cook for a further few minutes, until the duck is just cooked.
Serve on sweet potato mash with an asian leaf salad, splashed with olive oil and balsamic.
~sweet potato mash~
cook for 4 large sweet potatoes in boiling water. once cooked, mash with a knob of butter. season and serve.
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