Treat yourself...

FOOD FOR FRIENDS

Spanish Spiced Soup

(serves 4)

Dash of olive oil

2 finely chopped shallots

2 cloves of garlic, chopped

150g pancetta

200g chopped chorizo

400g cooked white beans

800ml beef stock

100ml extra virgin olive oil

Bunch of chives

12 scallops

• First of all make the chives oil by blending 100ml of the olive oil with the chives
• Heat a dash of olive in a pan, add the shallots and season with a pinch of salt
• Fry the onion until golden brown
• Add the garlic and fry for one minute
• Throw in the pancetta and chorizo and fry until all golden brown
• Pour the stock in and bring to boil
• Pop the beans in
• Blend until smooth
• For the scallops- season them with salt and white pepper (black will do, but white is more delicate)
• Place them into the hot oil, presentation side down (usually the larger side)
• The objective is to caramelise the scallops, giving them a deep golden-brown colour
• Approximate timing is 3 minutes, but do check and let the colour be your guide
• Turn over, but do not caramelise the second sides, since this will overcook the scallops
• Test with fingertips; the scallops should be firm but not rubbery, with a little bit of give
• Just before you remove them from the heat, a squeeze of lemon juice is recommended
• This will counteract the effects of the oil, whilst bringing out more of their fantastic flavour and will also ensure that your scallops will not get overcooked whilst you pour the soup into your bowls
• Before you serve the soup, make sure you have tasted it to check for seasoning
• Pop the scallops on top of the soup and decorate with the chives oil

Pea Risotto with Panfried Veal

(serves 4)

60g unsalted butter

2tbl olive oil

1 large onion, finely chopped

2 cloves of garlic, chopped

300g Arborio rice

150ml dry white wine

900ml beef stock

Salt and pepper

150g Parmesan cheese

2 tablespoons Crème fraiche

200g frozen peas

4 veal steaks

• Heat the butter and olive oil in a pan
• Add the chopped onion and sweat until translucent, with a pinch of salt
• Add the garlic and fry for 1 minute
• Add the rice and heat until you can’t touch the grains
• Add the wine and let it absorb
• Start adding your stock, ladle by ladle, wait until completely absorbed before each addition and keep the pan hot, stir constantly to keep the starch moving to give it the beautiful creaminess
• Season little and often
• Cook until al dente, add more water if necessary
• Stir the peas through to heat them up
• Season and add parmesan and crème fraiche to taste
• For the veal- season the steaks with salt and pepper on both sides
• Heat olive oil in a pan until smoking- add the veal
• Cook for 6 minutes on each side, turning often (for 1 cm thick steak)
• Serve on top of your risotto

A lovely idea for a simple, fuss-free but impressive canape. Combine your favourite flavours on some vintage forks for your guests to nibble on with a glass of something tasty! Here I have used some grilled caramelised peach slices wrapped with a basil leaf and a slice of parma ham, with a balsamic for dipping! Delicious!