Wallpaper 12

Risotto Milanese

with scallops

Serves 4

1 tbs olive oil

40g butter

1 onion, peeled and

finely chopped

600ml chicken stock

good pinch of saffron

250g risotto rice

50ml dry white wine

30g parmesan, grated

For the scallops:

12 scallops

salt and pepper

20g butter

1 tbs olive oil

Melt the oil and half the

butter in a large heavy pan

set over a medium lame.

Add the onion and cook,

stirring occasionally, for

about 5 minutes until soft

and golden. Meanwhile,

put the stock and the

safron in another pot and

bring to a simmer. Add the

rice to the onion and stir

well. Pour in the wine and

stir until almost completely

absorbed. Add a ladleful

of the simmering stock and

stir gently until almost

completely absorbed.

Continue in this way for

about 25 minutes until all

the stock has been added,

or until the risotto is soft

and creamy but still with

a little bite. Stir in the

rest of the butter and the

parmesan. To cook the

scallops, irst season them

with salt and pepper.

Place a large heavy frying

pan over a medium to

high lame. Heat the butter

and oil and cook the

scallops for about 2 minutes

on each side. Do this in

two batches, if necessary,

to avoid crowding the pan.

Spoon the risotto onto

plates, place the scallops on

top and serve immediately.

Cassata

Serves 10-12

For the marzipan:

80g shelled pistachio nuts

80g blanched almonds

80g icing sugar

few drops of green

food colouring

1 egg white, lightly beaten

until frothy (reserve the

yolk for the sponge cake)

For the sponge cake:

170g plain flour

1½ tsp baking powder

¼ tsp salt

5 eggs

170g caster sugar

zest of 1 orange

For the filling and syrup:

150g caster sugar

700g fresh ricotta cheese

1 tsp vanilla extract

½ tsp ground cinnamon

70g dark chocolate, chopped

70g candied fruit, chopped

2 tbs Grand Marnier

To finish:

200g icing sugar

1-2 tbs lemon juice

glacé fruits

To make the marzipan, place

the pistachios and almonds

in a food processor and chop

inely. Add the icing sugar

and process well. With the

motor running, add the food

colouring and enough of the

eg white to just bring the

mixture to a smooth dough.

Wrap and set aside. To

make the sponge cake, line

a 21-24cm springform deep

cake tin with baking paper.

Heat the oven to 180°c. Put

the lour, baking powder and

salt into a bowl, mix well,

then set aside. Break the

ive egs into another bowl,

add the reserved yolk, the

sugar and the orange zest,

then beat on high speed

for about 5 minutes until

pale and lufy. Fold in the

lour mixture and spoon

the batter into the prepared

tin. Smooth the top, then

bake for 30 minutes until

Chicken paillard

Serves 4

4 skinless chicken breasts

1 large garlic clove, peeled

salt and pepper

leaves from 1 thyme sprig

zest and juice of ½ lemon

2 tbs olive oil

Place each chicken breast

between two sheets of baking

paper, then bash and latten

the meat until it is about

½cm thick. Put the garlic in

a pestle and mortar with half

a teaspoon of salt and crush

to a paste. Add the thyme

leaves and pound into the

garlic paste. Add the lemon

zest and juice, olive oil and

a good grinding of black

pepper, and mix well. Place

a lattened chicken breast

in a wide, shallow dish, pour

over some of the marinade,

then turn the chicken so

that both sides are well

coated. Place another piece

of chicken on top and

continue in the same way

Romanesco with

chilli and garlic

Serves 4

1 romanesco head, cut

into florets

3 tbs light olive oil

2 large garlic cloves, peeled

and very finely sliced

1 large red chilli, finely

chopped

salt and pepper

juice of ½ lemon

Cook the romanesco lorets

in a large pan of boiling,

salted water for 3-5 minutes

until just tender, then drain

and set aside. Heat the

olive oil in a large heavy pan

set over a medium lame.

Add the garlic and chilli,

then cook for a few minutes,

stirring constantly to prevent

burning. Add the romanesco

and toss in the hot oil for

another 2 minutes. Season

well with salt and pepper and

squeeze over the lemon juice.

well risen and golden, and

a toothpick inserted into

the centre comes out clean.

Allow to cool completely

in the tin, then turn out onto

a wire rack. To make the

illing, put 100g of the caster

sugar in a bowl with the

ricotta, vanilla and ground

cinnamon, and beat well,

ensuring the sugar is

completely dissolved. Fold

in the chocolate and candied

fruit, then leave to chill

in the fridge. To make the

syrup, put the remaining

50g of caster sugar in a small

pan with 30ml water and

bring to a simmer over a

medium to high heat. Stir

until the sugar has dissolved,

then remove from the heat,

stir in the Grand Marnier

and set aside. Cut the sponge

cake into 1cm-thick slices

across the diameter. Line a

21-24cm cassata mould, tarte

tatin tin or pie dish with

sloping sides with clingilm.

Roll out the marzipan on

a surface lightly dusted with

icing sugar, to about a ½cm

thickness. Slice the marzipan

into strips and use these to

line the sides of the cassata

mould, smoothing and

lattening them where they

overlap. Line the base and

sides of the cassata mould

with cake strips, cutting

them to it. Brush the cake

surface generously with

some of the syrup. Spoon

in the ricotta illing and

smooth the top. Cover the

ricotta illing with more

cake slices and brush with

the remaining syrup. Wrap

tightly with clingilm and

chill for 2 hours. Combine

the icing sugar with enough

lemon juice, added gradually,

to make a smooth, thick

glaze. Invert the cake onto

a serving plate. Pour the

glaze over the cake to cover

evenly. Decorate with glacé

fruits and chill until set, for

at least 2 hours, or overnight.

with the chicken and

marinade until it is all well

coated. Cover and chill for

a couple of hours. Heat a pan

over a high heat and cook

each piece of chicken for

1-2 minutes on each side.

152 ∑

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