Happy Birthday Dearest!
Here lie some dishes I did write, and which you shall be presented with soon, and if you like 'em, you might make them again after.
I love you loads, have a super fantastisch Day and all that. Go mental. The most mental this side of Milan.
All my love,
Declan xxxxxx
Starter
Fennel and Beetroot Purée Bruschetta
(Serves Four People)
8 Slices of A White Sourdough Loaf
130ml of Olive Oil
50g Almonds
Around 250g of Cooked Beetroot
Three Garlic Cloves, Crushed
Medium Bunch of Parsley
2 Tablespoons of Red Wine Vinegar
3 Large Fennel Bulbs
Rock Salt And Black Pepper
Rocket
For your Beetroot Purée
Blend your Beetroot, Garlic, Chopped Parsley and Almonds in a food processor until you’ve a fairly coarse but light purée. Then add 50ml of Olive Oil and season with Rock Salt and Black Pepper.
For Your Fennel
Get rid of any bruised leaves, the stems, the fronds and the base of the Fennel. Cut your bulb into thin vertical strips and wash in a few different bowls of cold water. Place in a medium heated saucepan with 80ml of Olive Oil and just enough water to cover the Fennel strips. Allowing the steam to rise, cook for around 30 minutes. All the water should have been absorbed by the Fennel, and they should be tender to touch. Then slice and season.
For the Bruschetta
Make sure your Sourdough Loaf is cut in medium to thin slices, place the eight slices under a warm grill for a few minutes until crisp, turning once and adding a tiny spot of Olive Oil on each side. Plate two slices of Bruschetta on each plate and spread the cold Beetroot Purée on to each piece of Bruschetta generously. Then top with the hot Fennel and a few Rocket leaves.
(Serves Four People)
8 Slices of A White Sourdough Loaf
130ml of Olive Oil
50g Almonds
Around 250g of Cooked Beetroot
Three Garlic Cloves, Crushed
Medium Bunch of Parsley
2 Tablespoons of Red Wine Vinegar
3 Large Fennel Bulbs
Rock Salt And Black Pepper
Rocket
For your Beetroot Purée
Blend your Beetroot, Garlic, Chopped Parsley and Almonds in a food processor until you’ve a fairly coarse but light purée. Then add 50ml of Olive Oil and season with Rock Salt and Black Pepper.
For Your Fennel
Get rid of any bruised leaves, the stems, the fronds and the base of the Fennel. Cut your bulb into thin vertical strips and wash in a few different bowls of cold water. Place in a medium heated saucepan with 80ml of Olive Oil and just enough water to cover the Fennel strips. Allowing the steam to rise, cook for around 30 minutes. All the water should have been absorbed by the Fennel, and they should be tender to touch. Then slice and season.
For the Bruschetta
Make sure your Sourdough Loaf is cut in medium to thin slices, place the eight slices under a warm grill for a few minutes until crisp, turning once and adding a tiny spot of Olive Oil on each side. Plate two slices of Bruschetta on each plate and spread the cold Beetroot Purée on to each piece of Bruschetta generously. Then top with the hot Fennel and a few Rocket leaves.
Main and Side Salad
Shiitake Red Wine Risotto
(Serves Four To Five People)
A Splash of Olive Oil
2 Red Onions, Diced
A Few Cloves of Garlic
Around 800ml of Vegetable Stock (You can use Chicken Stock if you’re feeling fancy)
450-500g of Risotto Rice
120g Butter
Fresh Rosemary
400-450g Shiitake Mushrooms
One Pack of Danish Blue Cheese
Rock Salt, Black Pepper and A Squeeze of Lemon.
A Bottle of Red Wine, a Merlot grape perhaps, and St. Emilion if you have some CASH. You are cooking with it, but as it’s the main point of the dish, I don’t think you’re completely wasting the quality by cooking it.
For your Shiitake Mix
Melt around 50g of your Butter into a large frying pan and then add the onion. Keep on a low heat, then once the Onions are softened add the Garlic, crushed. Cut your Shiitake Mushrooms once down the middle, so you’re left with the stalk on both pieces. Cook the Onions until they begin to brown at the sides. At this point add your Mushrooms and chopped Rosemary. You may need to add another touch of butter, and possibly a drop of water. Season with your Rock Salt, Black Pepper and a Squeeze of Lemon. Cook until soft and flavoursome.
For your Risotto
Add a small amount of Olive Oil into a very large saucepan, when it’s just hot add your Risotto Rice and stir through and begin cooking on a low to medium heat. When the rice is covered add enough of your stock to cover the rice. Stir and repeat once the rice has absorbed the stock, stir and stir and stir. After you have done this, cut your butter into small cubes and add it. This will really thicken your Risotto quickly, so be ready to add some more stock. If you run out of stock just add some water. After around ten minutes add your wine, in small quantities, maybe rotate adding the Wine with adding the Stock. Stir your Risotto constantly and when it gets too thick add more liquid. It will take roughly forty minutes, cook until the rice is too your textural taste. Then add the Mushroom mix, heated, stir in, season to taste and then plate. Garnish with crumbled Danish Blue on top and serve immediately.
Walnut, Vine Tomato and Mixed Leaf Salad
Half a Medium Pack of Walnuts
Baby Spinach Leaves
Rocket
Iceberg Lettuce
Around 20 Vine Cherry Tomatoes
A Splash of Olive Oil
3 Tablespoons of Granulated Brown Sugar
3 Cups of Balsamic Vinegar
For the Balsamic Syrup Dressing
Add your Sugar and Balsamic Vinegar into a saucepan and reduce down around three quarters of the way.
For the Salad
Wash your leaves, cut the Iceberg Lettuce leaves down in strips from the top and mix with the Rocket and Baby Spinach Leaves. On an oven proof dish portion out sections of the vine tomatoes as per the amount of people eating, keeping them on the vine and place them in the oven with a drizzling of Olive Oil and some Rock Salt and Pepper. Cook for around 40 minutes on a low heat, so they begin the crisp on the outside, but still retain as much liquid inside as possible. Plate your leaves, adding a fair few Walnuts, then place the Vine Tomatoes on top. Garnish with the Balsamic Syrup.
(Serves Four To Five People)
A Splash of Olive Oil
2 Red Onions, Diced
A Few Cloves of Garlic
Around 800ml of Vegetable Stock (You can use Chicken Stock if you’re feeling fancy)
450-500g of Risotto Rice
120g Butter
Fresh Rosemary
400-450g Shiitake Mushrooms
One Pack of Danish Blue Cheese
Rock Salt, Black Pepper and A Squeeze of Lemon.
A Bottle of Red Wine, a Merlot grape perhaps, and St. Emilion if you have some CASH. You are cooking with it, but as it’s the main point of the dish, I don’t think you’re completely wasting the quality by cooking it.
For your Shiitake Mix
Melt around 50g of your Butter into a large frying pan and then add the onion. Keep on a low heat, then once the Onions are softened add the Garlic, crushed. Cut your Shiitake Mushrooms once down the middle, so you’re left with the stalk on both pieces. Cook the Onions until they begin to brown at the sides. At this point add your Mushrooms and chopped Rosemary. You may need to add another touch of butter, and possibly a drop of water. Season with your Rock Salt, Black Pepper and a Squeeze of Lemon. Cook until soft and flavoursome.
For your Risotto
Add a small amount of Olive Oil into a very large saucepan, when it’s just hot add your Risotto Rice and stir through and begin cooking on a low to medium heat. When the rice is covered add enough of your stock to cover the rice. Stir and repeat once the rice has absorbed the stock, stir and stir and stir. After you have done this, cut your butter into small cubes and add it. This will really thicken your Risotto quickly, so be ready to add some more stock. If you run out of stock just add some water. After around ten minutes add your wine, in small quantities, maybe rotate adding the Wine with adding the Stock. Stir your Risotto constantly and when it gets too thick add more liquid. It will take roughly forty minutes, cook until the rice is too your textural taste. Then add the Mushroom mix, heated, stir in, season to taste and then plate. Garnish with crumbled Danish Blue on top and serve immediately.
Walnut, Vine Tomato and Mixed Leaf Salad
Half a Medium Pack of Walnuts
Baby Spinach Leaves
Rocket
Iceberg Lettuce
Around 20 Vine Cherry Tomatoes
A Splash of Olive Oil
3 Tablespoons of Granulated Brown Sugar
3 Cups of Balsamic Vinegar
For the Balsamic Syrup Dressing
Add your Sugar and Balsamic Vinegar into a saucepan and reduce down around three quarters of the way.
For the Salad
Wash your leaves, cut the Iceberg Lettuce leaves down in strips from the top and mix with the Rocket and Baby Spinach Leaves. On an oven proof dish portion out sections of the vine tomatoes as per the amount of people eating, keeping them on the vine and place them in the oven with a drizzling of Olive Oil and some Rock Salt and Pepper. Cook for around 40 minutes on a low heat, so they begin the crisp on the outside, but still retain as much liquid inside as possible. Plate your leaves, adding a fair few Walnuts, then place the Vine Tomatoes on top. Garnish with the Balsamic Syrup.
Dessert
Poached White Wine Pears
(Serves Four)
Four Conference Pears, Peeled, With The Stems Remaining Intact
2 Cups of Sweet White Wine
½ Teaspoon of Vanilla Extract
A Cinnamon Stick
Teaspoon Lemon Zest, and a Teaspoon of Lemon Juice
3 ½ Cups of Water
2 Cups of Granulated Brown Sugar
On a medium heat, bring the White Wine, Vanilla Extract, Water, Cinnamon Stick, Lemon Zest and Lemon Juice to a simmer. Add the peeled Pears to the pan and poach for around 8 minutes. Remove the Pears, add the Brown Sugar to the remaining juice and reduce to a light syrup. Plate the pears, pour the syrup over the pears and serve.
(Serves Four)
Four Conference Pears, Peeled, With The Stems Remaining Intact
2 Cups of Sweet White Wine
½ Teaspoon of Vanilla Extract
A Cinnamon Stick
Teaspoon Lemon Zest, and a Teaspoon of Lemon Juice
3 ½ Cups of Water
2 Cups of Granulated Brown Sugar
On a medium heat, bring the White Wine, Vanilla Extract, Water, Cinnamon Stick, Lemon Zest and Lemon Juice to a simmer. Add the peeled Pears to the pan and poach for around 8 minutes. Remove the Pears, add the Brown Sugar to the remaining juice and reduce to a light syrup. Plate the pears, pour the syrup over the pears and serve.
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