ISO-Dinner Menu
SPRING PEA, PEA SHOOT AND GOATS CHEESE SALAD WITH ORANGE DRESSING
Serves 2
INGREDIENTS:
100g / 4 oz pea shoots or rocket leaves
100g / 4 oz soft goats cheese, crumbled
100g / 7 oz freshly podded pea’s
60g / 3 oz pancetta, cooked
For the dressing
100ml extra virgin olive oil
juice and zest of one orange
1 teaspoon of dijon mustard
sea salt and freshly ground black pepper
METHOD:
1.Place all the ingredients for the dressing in a bowl and whisk together well. Season with sea salt and freshly ground black pepper.
2. Put all the remaining ingredients for the salad in a large bowl, pour the dressing on top, and gently toss.
SEAFOOD PAELLA
This recipe will make enough to feed 6-8 people, but it scales down very well. So just half the quantity if it's 2 of you, and have the leftovers the next day!.
Serves 8
INGREDIENTS:
olive oil
10cm piece of chorizo, diced
10cm piece of chorizo, diced
2 onions, diced4 garlic cloves, crushed800g / 4 cups paella ricesea salt and freshly ground black pepper1 tsp saffron threads
1 litre / 4¼ cups fish stock, hot
500g / 1¼ pounds monkfish
1kg / 2¼ pounds mussels, cleaned and de-bearded
10 prawns, left whole, raw and unshelled
2 red peppers , sliced
2 lemons, cut into wedges to serve
METHOD:
1. Heat a large paella pan over a medium heat. Add a drop of olive oil followed by the chorizo. Leave to crisp for about 5 minutes, then add the onions, red peppers and garlic and cook for a further 10 minutes.
2. Stir in the rice and season with salt and pepper. Add the saffron threads, hot fish stock and leave to simmer for about 15 minutes.
3. Scatter the pieces of monkfish over the rice and push under the surface with the back of a spoon. Lay the mussels and prawns over the top and simmer for another 10 minutes, until the mussels have opened and the prawns are pink.
4. Serve with lemon wedges around the pan.
LEMON CHEESECAKE
Serves 8
INGREDIENTS:
250g /2½ cups digestive biscuits / graham crackers
80g / 2/3 cup hazelnuts (or almonds, walnuts or chocolate nibs)
100g / ½ cup butter
300ml/ 1 1/3 cup double/whipping cream
340g/1½ cup cream cheese
Zest of 3 lemons, juice of 2 lemons
150g/ 2/3 cup caster / superfine sugar
METHOD:
1. Line the base of an 18cm spring cake tin with greaseproof / parchment paper.
2. Place the digestive biscuits / graham crackers and hazelnuts in a blender and blend until you get a breadcrumb like consistency. Then pour in the butter and blend for 30 seconds. Spoon the biscuit base into the prepared tin and use the back of a spoon to smooth it flat. Put the tin into the fridge to chill while you make the topping.
3. Whip the cream using a whisk or mixer, once the cream is whipped, add in the sugar, cream cheese, lemon juice and zest and whisk together until you get a light fluffy texture.
4. Remove the baking tin from the fridge and spoon in the lemon mixture. Use the back of a spoon to smooth out the top.
5. Place the cheesecake into the fridge for at least 2 hours to set fully. Remove from the fridge 30 minutes before serving.
6. I like to finish it off the cake by decorating it with flowers and another zest of lemon.