Kneading pasta dough? What a revelation that was all those years ago. My first pasta attempts at 14 struggled to stay together and were rather rough - and I learned a bit by trial and error. The right flour helps too. Also semolina to dust the table - prevents sticking. Saffron pasta dough:
350g flour ('OO' or strong white - there's some great chefstalk on the subject here) 4 eggs Saffron steeped in hot water then chilled out 1 tsp salt
Filling:
Roast sweet potato Red onion sauteed in butter & cooled Feta diced Coriander (fresh) Ground coriander seed Lemon zest
2 years and 22 days after serving our first ever assiette of dessert which the guests at Rectory Park in Slimbridge had requested we were back there serving another, this one to go with an Italian themed menu.
Panettone 'bread' and butter pudding
Raspberry ricotta cheesecake - (was so much better than cream cheese think I might switch)
Apricot and cherry ravioli with marscapone and honey sauce
Creme brulee
Shotglass of mango sorbet (maybe not along the Italian theme but it was the hosts' son's favourite, and Italians do like their Gelateria)
I used this recipe for the sweet ravioli. Due to time pressures the pasta dough was the last thing I made in the afternoon before packing up all the ingredients and equipment. After the starter had gone I set up the pasta machine, then as soon as the main course had gone I rolled it out and formed into ravioli - very similar to the empanadas I had made the previous Saturday.
Then as Gill was bringing in the main course plates I started to cook them. Couldn't be much fresher if you tried.
Aside from the assiette, the sweet ravioli make a great dessert in their own right - I can vouch for it.
I had been looking forward to this one since I met with the hosts a couple of months ago to discuss details. Always good to try out new things.I had seen their house being built years ago - the Cotswold Way up to Broadway tower runs accross the field behind the house that they look out on - and it is prime dog walking territory. As kitchens go this is one awesome view from the kitchen window - certainly not one you get in restaurant/ hotel kitchens.
Canapés
Roast beef with horseradish on parmesan shortbread
Asparagus on baked new potatoes with smoked trout mousse
Open ravioli of cod, asparagus and mozzarella gratinated with parmesan, wild nettle pesto – fish course size
I sealed the cod on the grill pan before we left (smoke created sets off smoke alarms at venues otherwise). I topped this with mozzerlla and then could just finish it in the aga. Asparagus from Bangrove Farm between Tewkesbury and Broadway was roasted in the aga. Once cooked I then heated the lasagne sheets in the oven to melt the parmesan on top then finished with a blow torch. [they need to be on a baking mat to lift them off and if you put this under the grill it would catch fire]. The nettles I had picked between ironing tablecloths and picking up the van - busy day.
6 Hour cooked shoulder of Home Farm lamb with roasted lamb cutlet served with leek stuffed fondant potato, steamed kale, broad beans and balsamic jus
Someone's stolen the middle of my fondant potatoes!
Well it's something different with my ever popular fondant potatoes. I cut these, out, stuffed with cooked leek and replaced a small disc of the fondant potato on top. Once heated they seal up.
I had done the shoulder with roasted saddle for a wedding of 120 a couple of years ago, and thought it was time for a revival - it does make quite a special dish.
They had asked for broad beans in particular. Overall quite a very suitable spring dish.
Trio of shotglass desserts:
Lemon meringue pie
Rhubarb and rosewater jelly
Eton Mess
And then our discussion the couple of months before had turned to dessert. They had loved the look of the assiette of desserts and we discussed all the different variations before coming up with this idea together. "They won't be expecting that" the host had said.
Lemon meringue pie - Biscuit crumbs, lemon tart filling and italian meringue on top glazed with the blow torch. I had been meaning to get round to making Italian meringue for years. Couldn't believe how easy it was - will definitely be doing it again.
Rhubarb and roswater jelly - rhubarb poached with sugar. Drain poaching liquor through a jelly bag and set with gelatine. Some of the reserved rhubarb pulp went on top of the jelly.
Eton mess - Strawberries & raspberries with raspberry coulis with vanilla creme chatilly on top and crushed meringue on top of this.
Great fun to make.
Coffee, tea and homemade fudge (crumbly)
The host had asked for fudge to go with the coffee but requested a crumbly variety rather than soft version. I had always meant to get round to making tablet as well. I remember nana bringing some back from one of her WI sales and I was hooked. Used this recipe. It needs quite a bit of 'testing'. Well that was my excuse.
Well this saved sweeping and mopping the floor.......
Breakfast Delivery
Greek yogurt with apple and berry compote
Eggs Benedict - Homemade English muffins with Home Farm bacon, poached eggs and hollandaise
After a quick power nap it was back to the kitchen to bake muffins, poach Clarence Court Burford Brown eggs and make hollandaise for breakfast. There is no breakfast dish that says Sunday more than eggs benedict.
Saffron pasta dough:
Saffron pasta dough:
