In step with this issue’s ‘Art of Cranleigh’ theme, aimed to celebrated the various aspects of creativity within our lives, this recipe for a three course meal is no exception! It is designed to inspire you to enjoy the preparing, cooking, table presentation and the finished meal itself as a complete art form – far beyond the mundane day-to-day sustenance! Why not don your apron and try it!
Galia Melon with “Prosciutto di San Daniele”
Ingredients:
2 ripe Galia melons
4 slices of St Daniele or Parma Ham. (make sure it is not cut too thinly)
1 Cucumber.
2 medium sized tomatoes
Olive oil, lemon juice, salt, and pepper
Method:
1. Crown cut the melons across the middle and empty them of seeds
2. With a small ball cutter, make 12 melon balls and leave them inside each melon case
3. Cut the ham, and the cucumber, in to a julienne (fine strips)
4. Blanch, peel, and deseed the tomatoes, before cutting them also (in to a julienne as before)
5. Fill the half melon with the julienne (sliced ham, cucumber, and tomatoes), and dress with the oil, lemon, salt, and pepper
6. Serve with buttered oatcakes
Should you require a wine with this course, Prosecco di Valdobbiadene is a great choice
Breasts of ducks (magrets de canard) alla piccantina.
Ingredients:
4 medium sized duck breasts 1 carrot
1 stick of celery 1 top of a leek
1 orange (+ one sliced for dressing) 1 lemon
1 small root of fresh ginger 20 grams of butter
60 grams of soft brown sugar 1 vegetable stock cube
80 mill of Port or Madeira
A thickening agent (I use BISTO granules) Some balsamic vinegar (ad lib)
Method:
1. Make some 3 or 4 incisions on the skin of the duck breasts, just enough to reveal the flesh.
2. Roughly chop the vegetables and place them on an oiled oven tray (metal).
3. Place the duck breasts over it and cover them with half the sugar and the balsamic vinegar.
4. Cook it in a hot oven (1800C – gas mark 4) for 25 minutes. Let them set on a separate dish.
5. Wash, peel and grate the ginger and boil it in little water until soft (20 min).
6. Place the zest of the orange and the lemon in a pan with the butter and lightly fry it for a few minutes then add the ginger and its cooking juice
plus the juice of the orange and the lemon. Reduce by 1/3 and set aside.
7. Place the roasting tray with the vegetables on a fierce heat. When most of the liquid has evapo- rated, discard most of the fat and add half the Port followed by the diluted stock cube (250ml). Bring to the boil and strain on to the orange and ginger mix.
8. Boil it all for 10 minutes then add the BISTO granule to thicken the sauce to the desired consist- ency.
9. Slice the duck breasts aslant and dress them on a meat dish, pour over some of the sauce, gar- nish with slices of Orange, watercress and a finely chopped fresh herb of your choice (sorrel
works well).
Serve with roasted small potatoes and root vegeta- bles and plain steamed Broccoli florets.
Should you require a wine with this course, Barolo is a great choice
AFFOGATO (Ubriaco) (Drowned drunk) serves 4
Ingredients:
300g of coffee ice cream
160 ml of strong hot coffee (ideally 4 double espresso)
4 hard amaretti biscuits
80ml double cream
Method:
1. Divide the ice cream into 4 separate coupes.
2. Place on top of each of the hard amaretti.
3. Pour on each equal amount of cream, liqueur and coffee.
4. Serve at once with a wafer fan.
“Buon Appetito”
-Giovanni Fontebasso
