We returned from Xmas in Vermont on the 30th December. We were hosting new years eve dinner for some of our best friends - Jerry and Belle Rommer, Bill and Liz Sweeney, Joel and Nushi Levy and David and Cathy Errington - Given the preparation times we decided to do some tried and trusted favourites, livened up with a couple of new additions.
We started with some champagne with Pizetta drizzled with Bagna Cauda from Giorgio Locatelli's book. It's a book I rarely cook from and I don't know why, maybe its sheer size is a bit daunting ... or maybe it feels more like a book on cooking than a cookery book ... if you know what I mean. Anyway, the pizetta were great.
The rest of the menu was as follows
River Cafe prosciutto, fig, basil, mint and rocket salad
Moro roasted aubergine and red pepper (see previous blog)
River Cafe Easy spaghetti with prawns in a bag
Seared Beef with salmoriglio and roasted beetroot
River cafe Easy chocolate nemesis
We drank far too much but the main culprits were Isola e Olena Chardonnay 2004 and Villa Caffagio San Martino 2001
The recipes
Fig, basil, mint, rocket salad
Ingredients (for 6 people)
Handful of rocket leaves
Handful of mint leaves
Handful of basil leaves
9 figs
9 slices of prosciutto
Juice of one lemon
Extra virgin olive oil
Salt and pepper
Method
First make the dressing; mix the lemon juice with four times the quantity of extra virgin olive oil (probably about 8 tbs) season with salt and pepper
Now take the stalks off of the figs and cut into quarters and put in a bowl
Now mix the leaves together. It is really important for this recipe that you do use equal quantities of the leaves. The idea is not to have a rocket salad with a few herbs! Put the leaves in a separate bowl.
Now dress the figs with a little of the dressing and the salad too ... use as much dressing as you like but I think its best when you are quite generous with it.
Now put a slice or two of Parma ham on each plate, place the figs next to it and then artfully add the salad.
... and that's it
We started with some champagne with Pizetta drizzled with Bagna Cauda from Giorgio Locatelli's book. It's a book I rarely cook from and I don't know why, maybe its sheer size is a bit daunting ... or maybe it feels more like a book on cooking than a cookery book ... if you know what I mean. Anyway, the pizetta were great.
The rest of the menu was as follows
River Cafe prosciutto, fig, basil, mint and rocket salad
Moro roasted aubergine and red pepper (see previous blog)
River Cafe Easy spaghetti with prawns in a bag
Seared Beef with salmoriglio and roasted beetroot
River cafe Easy chocolate nemesis
We drank far too much but the main culprits were Isola e Olena Chardonnay 2004 and Villa Caffagio San Martino 2001
The recipes
Fig, basil, mint, rocket salad
Ingredients (for 6 people)
Handful of rocket leaves
Handful of mint leaves
Handful of basil leaves
9 figs
9 slices of prosciutto
Juice of one lemon
Extra virgin olive oil
Salt and pepper
Method
First make the dressing; mix the lemon juice with four times the quantity of extra virgin olive oil (probably about 8 tbs) season with salt and pepper
Now take the stalks off of the figs and cut into quarters and put in a bowl
Now mix the leaves together. It is really important for this recipe that you do use equal quantities of the leaves. The idea is not to have a rocket salad with a few herbs! Put the leaves in a separate bowl.
Now dress the figs with a little of the dressing and the salad too ... use as much dressing as you like but I think its best when you are quite generous with it.
Now put a slice or two of Parma ham on each plate, place the figs next to it and then artfully add the salad.
... and that's it
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