TEXT PAGEDe Le Cuona
“Liquid” velvet (used as
background) from Boyac.
Bottle from Hay. Dish
from Batch Ceramics.
SALADPlate (main) from
Dear September. Cutipol
fork from Francalia. Green
plate (bottom in stack)
from Luna Ceramics.
All other props stylist’s
own. Stockists p175.MOTHER’S DAY
LUNCH MENU
+CHAMPAGNE CRUSTAS- CHICKPEA, PUMPKIN AND CAVOLO
NERO SOUP - BEETROOT SALAD WITH SWEET
AND SOUR DRESSING - BRAISED CHICKEN WITH
MUSHROOMS - HASSELBACK POTATOES
- PEAR, HONEY AND WILD GINGER
BAKED PUDDING - AGED GOAT’S CHEESE AND
TOASTED WALNUT BREAD
Champagne Crustas
This is a light cocktail that’s perfectly acceptable
to drink at lunch. The base can be mixed in a jug
beforehand and chill in the freezer for half an hour
before serving.
Makes 6 (pictured p120)
120 ml freshly squeezed orange juice
40 ml elderflower liqueur
40 ml orgeat syrup (see note)
40 ml brandy
A few dashes of bitters
Caster sugar, to serve
Orange wedges, for rubbing
750 ml chilled Champagne or sparkling wine
6 thinly peeled pieces of orange rind, to serve1 Mix orange juice, elderflower liqueur, syrup,
brandy and bitters in a mixing glass half-filled
with ice and stir with a bar spoon until chilled.
2 Place sugar in a shallow bowl. Rub an orange
wedge around the rims of 6 chilled Champagne
coupes or flutes, or wine glasses, then dip rims
in sugar to coat.
3 To serve, strain orange juice mixture into
glasses, top up with Champagne, twist orange
rinds over glasses and drop in to garnish.
NoteOrgeat syrup, an almond syrup, is available
at bottle shops such as Dan Murphy’s. If it’s
unavailable substitute a simple sugar syrup
(see cook’s notes p176).Chickpea, pumpkin and cavolo
nero soup
Just a few seasonal ingredients go into this simple
minestrone-style soup to make a flavour-packed start
to a meal. Add some crusty sourdough and extra-virgin
olive oil for dipping and it could also serve as the main
act. If you make the soup ahead, the chickpeas will soak
up the liquid, but that’s easily fixed by adding a little
extra stock before serving. Start this recipe a day ahead
to soak the chickpeas.
Prep time 20 mins, cook 1½ hrs (plus soaking)
Serves 6-8 (pictured p115)
150 gm dried chickpeas, soaked in cold water
overnight, drained
1 tbsp olive oil
1 small onion, finely chopped
2 small garlic cloves, finely chopped
1 rosemary sprig
400 gm (about ¼ small) peeled and diced
Kent pumpkin
1 litre (4 cups) chicken or vegetable stock
150 gm tomato polpa, or finely chopped
canned tomatoes
240 gm (1 bunch) cavolo nero, trimmed, stalks
thinly sliced
Finely grated parmesan, chilli flakes
(optional), mild-flavoured extra-virgin
olive oil and basil leaves, to serve1 Cover chickpeas generously with cold water
in a large saucepan and bring to the boil, then
reduce heat to medium-high and simmer until
tender (45 minutes to 1 hour). Drain.
2 Warm oil in a separate large saucepan over
low-medium heat, add onion and sauté until
translucent (10-15 minutes). Add garlic and
rosemary and stir until garlic starts to soften
(1 minute), then add pumpkin and cook until
pumpkin starts to soften (4-5 minutes). Add stock
and tomato polpa, season and bring to the boil,
then reduce heat to medium and simmer until
pumpkin is just tender (5-6 minutes).
3 Add chickpeas and cavolo nero to pan, and
simmer until pumpkin is tender but not breaking
down (6-9 minutes). Season to taste and serve
scattered with parmesan and a pinch of chilli,
drizzled with extra-virgin olive oil and topped
with basil leaves.
Drink suggestionChestnut lager.Beetroot salad with sweet and
sour dressing
Pomegranate is the tangy foil to the earthy flavour of
beetroot here, while crisp witlof and crunchy hazelnuts
take this salad up another notch.
Prep time 20 mins, cook 1 hr (plus cooling)
Serves 6-8
700 gm (4 medium) beetroot, trimmed
Olive oil, for drizzling
1 salad onion, bulb only, thinly sliced
375 gm (about 3) witlof, leaves separated
Seeds from ½ pomegranate
35 gm (¼ cup) roasted hazelnuts, coarsely
chopped
Sweet and sour dressing
60 ml (^1 / 4 cup) extra-virgin olive oil
1 tbsp pomegranate molasses
1 tbsp cabernet vinegar (or another aged
red wine vinegar)1 Preheat oven to 180C. Place beetroot on
separate pieces of foil large enough to wrap them.
Drizzle with oil and 1 tsp water, wrap tightly to
enclose and roast on a baking tray until tender
when pierced with a knife (50 minutes to 1 hour).
Set aside to cool (20-30 minutes), then peel, cut
into wedges and transfer to a bowl.
2 For sweet and sour dressing, whisk ingredients
in a bowl. Season to taste, then add to beetroot
with half the salad onion and toss to coat.
3 Layer beetroot, witlof and pomegranate seeds
in a salad bowl, scatter with remaining onion and
hazelnuts, drizzle with extra dressing and serve.>