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Camp di Cent Pertigh Restaurant - a rural retreat between Milan and Lake Como
Camp di Cent Pertigh, in Carate Brianze is a great place for a pit-stop on the way to the Lakes from Milan. Surrounded by beautiful gardens, the restaurant is spread across a number of elegantly converted barns. The menu changes seasonally and features some wonderful Italian food.
An Italian BBQ
A few grilled vegetables on the BBQ (creamy mauve aubergine, sweet red peppers), accompanied by some grilled swordfish and Italian sausage, a plate of super fresh buffalo mozzarella, a few slices of in-season tomatoes, some toasted Italian loaf slices, rubbed with cut garlic and drizzled with olive oil, a plate of fresh figs to end proceedings. Oh, and a Moretti beer or two doesn’t go amiss.
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Gold dust in the cocktail bar - Rhubarb Collins & Gold Rush
Gold dust, as opposed to popular opinion, is not as hard to find as you may think. A search on Google for edible gold dust brings up a lot of options. I buy mine at Selgridges from Laura Santini. It’s a lovely garnish to add to a fruit-based cocktail such as my apple and maple flavoured Gold Rush Cocktail.
It works equally well with a Rhubarb Collins:
In a cocktail shaker filled with a few ice cubes mix together 50ml gin (Bombay Sapphire or Tanqueray 10 will do), with 25ml Cointreau, 20 ml rhubarb syrup*, 10ml fresh lime juice. Shake vigorously, and serve either on the rocks or in a chilled martini glass, garnished with a dash of gold dust.
* To make the syrup place 1 cup of sugar with 150g chopped rhubarb in a pot and bring to a boil, then simmer till the syrup thickens and turns pink - around 20 minutes, strain through a fine mesh into a jar and chill at room temperature before storing in the fridge. The remaining rhubarb pieces make a delicious dessert.
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Red and white quinoa salad with lemon, feta and asparagus
In a pot place 1 cup of quinoa (red or white or combine the two) cover with 2 cups of water, bring to a boil and simmer, covered for about 10-15 minutes. Turn off the heat and continue to steam till all the water has been absorbed.
In the meantime, grill 200g asparagus spears which have been drizzled with olive oil till just under-done, and then chop into bite-sized pieces and place in a large bowl. Finely chop a yellow pepper (cored and deseeded) and add to the bowl. Now add the cooked quinoa and 75g crumbled feta cheese (low-fat versions work just as well). Add the zest and juice of 1 lemon, season with sea salt and pepper, and stir altogether. Sprinkle with chopped parsley and serve.
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Baked French Toast
This is fab for those not so keen on cooking first thing on a lazy weekend morning. Everything is prepared the night before and then popped into the oven straight from the fridge the next morning.
Cut thick (1-inch) diagonal slices into a soft-crust loaf of bread (it can be anywhere between fresh and stale) - around 10 slices. Generously butter a baking dish and one side of each slice and place in the baking dish ((one which fits the slices very snuggly - squeezed together if necessary). Whisk together 3 large eggs and 300ml milk and 1/4 tsp salt and pour over the bread. Chill, covered between 1 and 24hrs (till all the liquid is absorbed).
Take out of the fridge, sprinkle with sugar and bake at 175c till the top is golden (20-25 min). Serve with maple syrup (of course).
You can of course pan fry the slices in a little butter and vegetable oil instead if you can’t be bothered with the oven.
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Crab Pilau with coconut milk
Heat 1tbs rapeseed oil in a pot with 1tsp cumin seeds, 2 tsp white mustard seeds, 1tsp coriander seeds and stir for 1 minute till the seeds start to pop. Now add 1 finely chopped shallot (large) or onion (small) 1 garlic clove finely chopped and 1 tsp of grated ginger, and stir over medium heat till softened. Add 1/2 tsp turmeric and 1 cup (175g) basmati rice (I like to use brown basmati) and stir for a minute or so. Add 150ml low fat coconut milk, 1 fresh green (or red) chili finely chopped, and 1/2 tsp salt and top up with about 350ml water. Cover, reduce the heat and simmer for about 10 minutes. About 8 minutes in add a large handful of green veggies (chopped asparagus, frozen peas, baby spinach). Turn off heat and leave to steam for another 10 minutes, or until all the water is absorbed (brown rice might take a little longer). Fluff with a fork and stir in one can of crab meat (120g drained) and some chopped chives.
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Breakfast Quesadilla
In a small pan over a medium heat layer the folllowing: 1 small corn tortilla, a thin spread of adobe chili paste*, then some grated white cheese (cheddar will do fine), a dollop of sour cream or creme fraiche, a scattering of grilled asparagus spears cut into chunks (or a handful of fresh baby spinach) then top with another small corn tortilla and press down using the back of a large metal spatula. When the bottom tortilla starts to brown and the cheese to melt, carefully flip over and continue cooking till brown on both sides.
Transfer to a serving dish, cut into wedges and serve with additional sour cream or creme fraiche.
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*my chipotle paste: simply blitz up a can of chipotle in adobo sauce.
Tomato and mozzarella pennette
I like creamy tasting pasta, but without the heaviness of cream so I quite like this recipe which marries the tartness of the tomatoes with the creaminess of the mozzarella (and these days it is quite easy to find low-fat versions).
Bring a pot of water to the boil. In the meantime, heat 1 tbs olive oil in a largish pan (large enough to hold the pasta) with 2 cloves of garlic finely chopped. Add 400g of either fresh or canned tomatoes (if using fresh peel and de-seed them first*) and a small handful of basil leaves. Cook until the tomatoes thicken into a sauce. If using fresh tomatoes you can stir in 1 tbs tomato concentrate at this point. While the sauce is cooking cook 250g pennette (or penne) pasta in the boiling water till al dente.
Just before the pasta has finished cooking, finish up with the sauce by seasoning with some salt and pepper and adding 60g chopped fresh mozzarella, stirring till it melts into the sauce. Turn off the heat.
Drain the pasta and transfer to the sauce pan. Toss over low heat till well combined. Sprinkle with some freshly grated Parmesan. Add some more basil leaves and serve immediately.
Serves 2.
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SAGE, WALNUT AND BREADCRUMB PASTA >
*These days it is quite easy to find peelers which make easy work of soft fruit and vegetables such as this one from Lakeland or this one made especially for tomatoes by Zyliss.
Strawberry Bites
This is so quick and easy, anyone can put these together and serve them up and call themselves a decent home chef!
I started with a packet of pre-made/pre-cooked mini puff pastry cases. Marks & Spencers in the UK makes fab ones.
Into each I spooned in some thick cream (or creme fraiche) mixed together with a little icing sugar and vanilla extract. Top with sliced berries (strawberries, blueberries and raspberries are the best choice here). Sprinkle with more icing sugar and serve on plates garnished with a sliced strawberry and a sprig of mint.
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Strawberries & Cream (with amaretti biscuits) - it’s time for Wimbledon
Keeping it simple today. When local English strawberries are at their peak there is very little they need adding to them.
A sprinkling of sugar, a dollop of creme fraiche or clotted cream, a couple of crushed amaretti biscuits, and a splash of amaretto.
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It’s nearly time for Wimbledon…..
Corn fritters with avocado salsa
This is inspired (taken from) Peter Gordon’s Providores cafe/restaurant in Marylebone, London. A fabulous place to waste away the weekend - moving from late morning coffee (courtesy of Monmouth Coffee), to corn fritters, to wine, to dessert, etc. Don’t be put off by the savoury mix of flavours - this is a great and classic brunch dish.
In a food processor place 525g fresh (or canned) corn kernels, 1 small red onion chopped, 2 eggs, 15g chopped coriander leaves or chives, 125 g flour, 1tsp baking powder, some salt and some pepper. Pulse till combined (but ensure you can still see bits of corn).
Heat up a pan with 1 tbs vegetable oil. Drop two tbs corn batter at a time into the pan (I like to use an ice cream scoop). Keep them well spaced from each other. Turn over after a minute or so (till golden on each side). Transfer to a warm oven while you finish up all the batter.
Serve with an avocado salsa made by mixing together 2 ripe avocados, diced, 1 quartered, deseeded and chopped tomato, 2 tbs lemon or lime juice, a dash of Tabasco (optional), some sea salt and pepper.
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The Wine Diaries - June edition
To start things off a vintage Pol Roger Rose champagne (2000) went perfectly with some goat’s cheese tarts
A side-by-side comparison of Chardonnays followed - Margrain Martinborough from New Zealand (2008), which can be found at Oddbins in the UK, versus Chateau de la Maltroye, Chassagne-Montrachet 1er Cru (1999). The Margrain held up quite decently to the old school offering and complimented a fresh Ceviche starter.
Finally, a flurry of Bordeaux - Chateau Sociando-Mallet Haut-Medoc (2000) against Chateau Gruaud Larose Saint Julien, Grand cru (2004). Both went brilliantly with a herbed rack of lamb.
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Asparagus Mimosa
I think this may be the last of the asparagus recipes, as we are now at the close of the season; ending where we began, with the long green tender shoots of asparagus.
This is a lovely and simple recipe, which can look particularly dramatic if you use eggs which have a deep orangey hue to them (in the UK I only use the Burford Brown variety).
Take a bunch of asparagus (around 350g) and either boil, steam or grill them till just tender. Place on a serving dish. In the meantime, in a pan of boiling water carefully place 2 large eggs, and simmer for 9 minutes. Immerse immediately in cold water, then peel, separate the yolks and the whites, and chop. To make the dressing mix together 1 tsp Dijon mustard, the juice of half a lemon, 2 tbs olive oil, 1-2 tbs mixed chopped herbs (from parsley, tarragon, chives and chervil), some sea salt and pepper. Mix in the egg whites and spoon over the centre of the asparagus spears. Sprinkle over the yolks, add a little more salt and pepper.
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Mini falafel
This makes a great snack, lunch, or even an appetizer to serve with drinks.
In a warm oven heat up half a dozen mini pita bread pockets. Split in half, and in each drizzle in a mixture of Greek yogurt and light Tahini. Add a squeeze of Sriracha (or other favoured chili sauce), a slice of cucumber, and a warm falafel (I buy mine pre-made).
Omit the yogurt for a completely vegan version.
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Goat’s cheese tarts
Here’s a variation on a theme. Once again, Jus Rol ready to bake puff pastry vol au vent comes to the rescue. I keep these little flat pastry disks in the freezer, and when ready to use pop them straight into the oven (220c) on a baking sheet (I first brush the edges with egg yolk).
When they start to puff up (about 5-7 minutes) take them out and fill with some marinated goats cheese pieces*, quartered cherry tomatoes, and a little salt and pepper. Now put them back in the oven till golden (another 7 minutes or so). To serve: garnish with little basil leaves.
* In a shallow dish I place slices of goat’s cheese, to which I sprinkle on a small handful of crushed dry roasted fennel and coriander seeds, some dried thyme and a drizzle of olive oil. Marinate between 30 minutes and 24hrs.
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