FOOD & DRINK
SIMPLY LIVING FRANCE
PAGE 64
The Hostess with the Mostest
A Velvet Valentine’s Feast
Whether your love relationship is brand new or has endured for many years, it deserves to be celebrated, and so, with Valentine’s Day upon us, it’s time to crack open the bubbly and treat yourself and your loved one to something super romantic. Food writer and recipe developer Ingrid Burling presents a velvet feast for lovebirds everywhere. White velvet soup with sambals This recipe is deceptively easy, but tastes like you spent an age making it, so it is perfect for impressing a loved one. If you are celebrating with friends, this can form the centrepiece of a quirky soup bar, with a rainbow array of sambals (toppings). Ingredients 500ml of double cream, 500ml of milk, 3 cloves of garlic (peeled and left whole), 3 bay leaves, the whites of three leeks (finely chopped), 3 giant potatoes (peeled and sliced), 1 broth cube, a dash of white wine, salt, white pepper and oregano. Serves 2. Method 1-Simmer the garlic and bay leaves in the cream and milk until the mixture amalgamates. 2-Add the rest of the ingredients and simmer until the vegetables have completely softened. Stir the mixture to stop it from burning and adjust the heat as required. 3-Check for flavour - it should be rich, creamy, mellow and filling - then allow to cool and blend the mixture. The sambals (toppings) will add spice, texture and aromatics.
Sambals The culinary gods have blessed us with endless variations of toppings to serve with this, so you can happily let your creativity reign. The combination of chilli oil, bacon lardons, crushed pistachios and preserved lemons is highly recommended (the lemon is a flavour sensation), but these also make for good eats: chopped devilled eggs, candied orange peel, bread croutons, deep-fried grated ginger, harissa, crispy grilled catfish, pineapple salsa, and crushed pink peppercorns with fennel seeds. Sweet and sour velvet chicken The secret to serving tender wok chicken is to ‘velvet’ it – which means marinading it in cornflour, water and soy – to lock in the moisture, and this recipe makes use of that. For the marinade Cut 2 chicken breasts into strips, pat them dry and marinade them in 1 tbsp each of corn flour, dark soya sauce and vegetable oil. Set aside in the fridge.
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