A warmth to share with your loved ones, take a look at these delightful recipes that are sure to be perfect for any occasion. A big thank you to Simone Conti for these recipes.
PORK FILET WITH HONEY AND GINGER – Main Course (Serves 4)
Ingredients
500g pork fillet
25g fresh ginger
30g soya sauce
1 medium size red chilli
2 tablespoons of Honey
2 tablespoons of sesame oil
Salt
Preparation
1. Let’s start by cutting the pork fillet in medallions around 1 inch tick and place them on a plate, then season with salt and black pepper
2. Now we will cut the ginger and the chilli in long stripes (remember to remove the seeds from the chilli)
3. Pour the sesame oil in a medium frying pan and put it in a medium heat. Once the oil is hot add the ginger first and after 2 minutes the chilli and let it cook for 4-5 minutes so the oil will infuse
4. Now let’s add our pork medallions and let them cook until they are a nice golden colour which usually takes around 5-6 minutes, turn so they get cooked evenly on both sides
5. Once they start to get the golden colour add the honey and the soya sauce and let them cook for further 5-6 minutes until the sauce is nice and thick
6. Once ready just plate and serve with some basmati rice or just some lovely roast potatoes
Recommended Wine: Cotes Du Rhone AOC
STRACCIATELLA SOUP – Starter (Serves 4)
Ingredients
4 eggs
3 chicken legs or thighs
1 large white onion
1 carrot
1 celery stick
2 potatoes
150g bread crumbs
100g parmesan cheese
Salt & Black pepper
Preparation
1. Let’s start from preparing our chicken stock, fill up a large boiling pan with cold water
2. Peel the potatoes and the carrot and then roughly chop them, adding the celery stick, the onion and the chicken. Place all these ingredients in the boiling pan. Remember to always add the ingredients when the water is cold to get all the nutrients out of the vegetables and the chicken
3. Now turn the gas on and keep it on a medium heat for around 2 hours, wait until the last 20 minutes to add salt
4. Once your chicken stock is ready remove the vegetables and the chicken (you can have them on the side) and pass the stock through a strainer to remove any impurities
5. In a mixing bowl add the 4 eggs, the bread crumbs and the parmesan cheese, then with a whisk mix all the ingredients together. Don’t worry if you get few lumps from the bread crumbs
6. Once you are ready to serve, get the stock boiling and pour in the mix, keep whisking for around 3-5 minutes
7. Your straciatella soup is now ready, just garnish with some parsley and enjoy it
Recommended Wine: Chenin Blanc
PERSIAN LOVE CAKE – Dessert (Serves 8)
Ingredients
360g almond flour
150g white sugar
200g brown sugar
pinch of salt
125g butter (room temperature)
2 eggs
250g Greek yogurt
pinch of nutmeg
25g crushed pistachio nuts
10g rice flour or any flour
icing sugar to decorate
Preparation
1. In a large mixing bowl place the almond flour, add the white and brown sugar and the pinch of salt
2. Now cut the butter in to small cubes and add it to the mix. Remember to use at room temperature so it will be much easy to work
3. With your hands start to mix all the ingredients together until well mixed or until the dough gets a sand like texture
4. Now let’s divide our dough with a scale weighing 360g and leave the rest on the side
5. We will need a round cake mould about 10-inch-wide, butter the mould inside. Place 360g of dough inside it and this will be the base of our cake. With the back of a table spoon just spread the dough nice and evenly in the base of the mould
6. Get remaining dough and add to it the eggs, the Greek yogurt and a pinch of nutmeg, mix it well with a wooden spoon
7. Once is well mixed we will pour it on top of the base like we did before in the mould. Make sure it is even on the top, use a spatula or the back of a tablespoon to spread it evenly
8. Now add the crushed pistachio nuts on top of the cake
9. If you have a static oven cook at 180 degrees for 45-50 minutes. If you use a ventilated oven then 160 degrees for 35-40 minutes
10. To be sure the cake is cooked just use a toothpick, push it into the middle of the cake and if it comes out dry then the cake is ready
11. Once the cake cools down, take it out of the mould and just sprinkle the icing sugar on top to garnish
Recommended Wine: Sauternes
Quote of the month
“One cannot think well, love well, sleep well, if one has not dined well.” ― Virginia Woolf
