Amaretti and Gooseberry Cheesecake

There is something undeniably British about gooseberries, and yet it is one of the most underrated fruits. That is, despite its affection for the wet and cool UK climate, it is profoundly difficult to obtain in supermarkets. Find it in a farmers market and you probably will be paying a fairly high sum, while it rarely appears in restaurant meals; even during season time. We all know that you can whip up a crumble, fool, meringue pie, curd or a sauce with this ingredient. But it seems to be, or to me anyway, that there is so much more we could create with this unrecognised berry. Being sour in flavour it is rather akin to rhubarb. That is, they both have a fondness for elderflower, orange, ginger, custard and almond, besides fatty meats and oily fish.

Serves approximately 8

Ingredients

300g Amaretti biscuits

50g butter, melted

600g cream cheese

2 tbsp. plain flour

175g golden caster sugar

Vanilla extract, a capful

2 eggs, plus 1 yolk

150ml soured cream

300g gooseberries, topped and tailed

5 tbsp. elderflower cordial

1. Preheat the oven to 180C/fan 160C, gas 4. Blitz the biscuits in a food processor or place in a plastic bag and crush with a rolling pin. Mix in the butter and press into a 20cm spring-form tin. Bake for 5-10 minutes. Leave to cool slightly and place in a fridge.

2. Beat the cream cheese, flour, 150g golden caster sugar, eggs, egg yolk, soured cream and 3 tbsp. elderflower cordial together.

3. Put the gooseberries, remaining sugar and cordial into a small saucepan and bring to a simmer. Cook gently for 5 minutes until they are just soft but still hold their shape. Tip into a sieve over a bowl and leave to drain.

4. Gently fold the gooseberries into the bowl of cheesecake mixture. Pour the mixture into the tin over the biscuit base and bake for 40 minutes. It should then be set, but slightly wobbly in the middle. Allow to cool entirely and then chill for 2 hours.

What to buy: Waitrose’s Whoopie Pies

If you had not noticed already, the American craze for ‘Whoopie Pies’ hit the UK food fashion well over a year ago. What are they? They came about as a way to use up leftover batter amongst Amish groups in New England. They almost look like mini Victoria Sandwich Cakes (though you can get different coloured sponges according to flavour), but the difference is the sponge has a slightly more biscuit texture and the butter creamed filling often consists of melted marshmallows.

I had my first try of these Yankee concoctions last year when M&S launched a range of pre-packaged ones. Overall out of the few I tried, none were particularly good and my verdict was that Whoopie Pies were simply overrated plain pieces of sponge with butter cream plonked in between. Just like the way I feel about the revival in cupcakes really.

Yet, this opinion was altered when I went into Waitrose last weekend. Seeing slightly large sized ones reduced down to 89p in the bakery counter and having never yet given Waitrose the chance to prove me wrong, I went ahead in sampling the toffee, and chocolate & cookie ones. I could not detect any toffee in the former. Still it was a lot fresher than those dull overpriced M&S ones had been. As for the chocolate & cookies one, I wanted more! It was a lot like consuming a cake version of Oreo biscuits, and my views on Whoopie Pies were forever erased. In fact, I think these will probably be emerging on my cravings list very soon!

‘Jamie’s Italian’: the perfect meal or a promise of food poisoning?

One may have read the numerous reports raiding the newspapers recently regarding food poisoning scares amongst Jamie’s Italian restaurants. From November 2009 to November 2010 eleven have failed inspections including suspicions of virally contaminated food at the Cambridge chain. Even worse, poor meat preparation at the Guilford partner placed customers at risk of e-coli according to a Freedom of Information request done by the Daily Mail, which is hardly assuring with the recent vegetable e-coli outbreak in Germany. Albeit Jamie will not welcome this news and many will undoubtedly view his empire with trepidation, the eateries still deserve praise. With a chain rapidly expanding it indeed must be difficult to ensure every individual branch is meeting every single legal standard. In fact, there are plans to launch the chain in USA, commencing in California. Not that food bugs should be addressed with such a cavalier attitude. But if anyone is to blame then it is surely the managers of those particular restaurants affected? I have visited two of his restaurants and none of the people I dined with or myself have ended up spending the night on the toilet.

Admittedly my last memory of visiting his chain may have been hazed, despite my fears of a plastic artificial vibe, at the Westfield branch. With sensual potted herbs all around me and the typical British euphoric response in behaviour to the rare blaze of sunshine that evening, my thoughts may have very well been blinded. Nevertheless, most of the food I have sampled there and on other occasions has been superb. One can tuck into a fresh crisp calamari with aioli for starter at £5.75, and perfectly paper-thin homemade Panzerotti of rich ricotta and mushrooms topped beautifully with an almost rustic baked breadcrumb-like texture of tangy chilli, zesty lemon, herbs and Parmesan for main. While the amaretto component of the brownie dessert hints deplorable metallic undertones, and the chocolate and espresso tart is oppressively heavy; the tiramisu is perfectly balanced in texture and flavour including the agreeable addition of orange, priced at only £4.95.

Some blog reviewers have claimed the prices veer towards the expensive side. Excluding the non-pasta main courses, I beg to differ. My pasta was £10.35, and in my experience you will not find pasta made from scratch at such a low price as this in UK restaurants. Besides, if you consider that desserts in other chain restaurants are often pre-packaged, yet are roughly the same price, one might retract such statements. But what ever the allegations are about food poisoning, Jamie’s Italian is still worth a visit if you can successfully avoid the badly managed ones.

Tortellini of Butternut Squash, Herbs and Goat's Cheese with Watercress Sauce

There’s nothing better than the creaminess of goat’s cheese conjunct to the sweetness of butternut squash, while watercress adds another dimension of pepper. Overall, the flavours work and this opus of contrasting shades construct a very bright and colourful picture. Admittedly this is quite a time consuming recipe, but it will most certainly go down well at a dinner party or special occasion. Definitely invest in a pasta machine. They’re not very expensive to buy, they will save you time and produce optimal results in obtaining flawlessly thin pasta.

Serves 4-6

Butternut Squash Filling:

1 medium butternut squash, peeled and deseeded

1 tsp. chilli flakes

1 tbsp. sage

Seasoning

Olive oil

150g goat’s cheese, crumbled

2 handfuls of basil, torn up

Handful of Parmesan, grated

Watercress Sauce:

60g watercress leaves, stalks removed

1 egg

1 clove garlic

½ tsp. mustard powder

135ml olive oil

1 tsp. wine vinegar

1 tsp. lemon juice

1 tsp. salt

Black pepper

Pasta Dough:

250g strong pasta flour

3 eggs

1. To make the pasta dough, if using a food mixer, add all in the ingredients and mix with a dough hook on maximum speed until the dough is firm. On a floured surface knead until smooth and elastic. Wrap in cling film and leave in the fridge for at least an hour. If using a food processor, add all the ingredients and turn on. In a few seconds it will look like breadcrumbs, leave it a little longer to almost form large balls of dough. Then knead by hand on a floured surface until smooth and elastic. Wrap in cling film and leave in the fridge for at least an hour. You can make the dough by hand but it will take much longer to do!

2. To make the pasta filling, preheat the oven to 190°C/375°F/gas 5. Grate the butternut squash and place on a large baking tray. Sprinkle over the chilli flakes and sage. Add some seasoning and drizzle over a small amount of olive oil, and coat the ingredients all over the squash. Place in the oven for approximately 30 minutes, until it appears dehydrated.

3. Meanwhile, to make the watercress sauce place the egg, salt, garlic, mustard powder, a few grindings of black pepper and blend together. Then add the oil, the vinegar, lemon juice and watercress. Blend once more until the sauce is a colourful green. Leave aside for now and whatever you do, do not heat the sauce. Otherwise it will produce an unpleasant eggy texture.

4. Once your butternut squash is cooked and has cooled a little, place in a bowl. Mix in the goat’s cheese, basil and Parmesan.

5. Now you need to turn the pasta dough into sheets. Remove from the fridge and split into 4 pieces. Recover 3 of them and put back in the fridge, so they do not dry out. With the piece you’re working with, flatten with your hand and roll into a thick sheet through the thickest setting on a pasta machine. Then fold the two ends into the middle and run through the thickest setting 3 or 4 times again. Then lightly dust both sides with flour and run through a thinner setting, eventually running through the thinnest setting. Repeat this process with the other pieces of pasta dough.

6. To turn your pasta sheets into tortellini, cut them into roughly 10cm squares or circles. Place a teaspoon of the filling just near to the centre of each square/circle. Use a pastry brush to lightly coat the edges of the pasta with water. Fold the shape in half, making sure the filling is closed. Cup your hand around the filling and gently curl round your fingers to remove the air. Seal the pasta, fold in the two flaps and press together. Once you have finished doing this with all your squares, immediately cook them in salted boiling water for 3-4 minutes. Serve with the watercress sauce.

The Walnut Tree Restaurant bids farewell to Gordon ‘Ramsay’s Kitchen Nightmares’

When my brother telephoned me to say we were going to The Walnut Tree in Wales for dinner on The Royal Wedding bank holiday, there was only one thing that could resonate through my head – ‘Ramsay’s Kitchen Nightmares’.

In actual fact The Walnut Tree at one time attracted people from all over the UK to sample Franco Taruschio’s impeccable Italian food. But when this highly esteemed chef hung up his apron to retire in 2001, it seemed from then onwards the Walnut Tree’s zenith had ultimately come to a halt. Despite guidance from celebrity chef Gordon Ramsay on his Kitchen Nightmares television programme, the new owners still proved to be ineffectual in running a successful dining business, and the banks shut down the place in 2007. Yet a year later and the restaurant confidently stepped out of its dark days of ignominy and reasserted its legendary status when renowned chef Shaun Hill took over.

If the experience of customers since Hill’s ownership were anything like mine, then one would have hardly guessed it had been through a period of hardship. The staff were obliging and the atmosphere was surprisingly unpretentious for a place that had been recently rated as best restaurant in Britain by the UK’s biggest online restaurant guide Gourmet Britain. I cannot say I was particularly impressed that a medium bottle of sparkling water was £4, but still it is the food that matters most. I started with a cheese soufflé accompanied by a leek and potato salad, and found myself infatuated by the dominant but consummate flavour of cheddar. Following on from this and I was wowed by how tender my steak for main course was – there was no need for a steak knife. Gorgonzola and potato croquettes accompanied it; both straightforward and unoriginal, but both functioned well with the core component. Finally I was then impressed, moderately, by the milk chocolate raspberry torte. Surprisingly it was very cocoa intense despite the fact milk chocolate does not possess a high cocoa content compared to its dark spouse, while the raspberries provided a tart contrast. Interestingly its texture was almost a mousse/parfait consistency. Somehow though, to my mind, its richness made it not quite 5*.

Overall, The Walnut Tree is certainly not Italian anymore. It is more or less classical French cuisine; therefore serving very simple, but made to the highest quality, food. The menu is without question very expensive, but one can barely find fault when it comes to the actual food. It seems the days of Ramsay’s Kitchen Nightmares are well and truly over.

A Red Wine Risotto of Chestnuts, Mushrooms and Thyme

Bored of eating British fare after the royal celebrations? Wondering what to do with the remaining red wine you purchased for guests or for that Easter roast lamb, which you yourself do not drink? Then use it to fortify and give a twist to this traditional Italian dish.

Serves 3

1 tbsp. olive oil

1 red onion, finely chopped

1 clove of garlic, crushed

¼ head of celery, finely chopped

200g risotto rice

1 ½ glasses of red wine

1 pint/568ml of hot vegetable stock

175g mushrooms, sliced

250g chestnuts (vac-packed are adequate), chopped in half

Small bunch thyme, leaves picked

Salt and pepper

Butter, knob

Fresh Parmesan grated, a couple of handfuls

1. Heat the olive oil in a large non-stick frying pan. Add the onions, celery, mushrooms and thyme (reserving a handful of the thyme). Fry gently for approx four minutes, until the vegetables have softened.

2. Add the rice and turn up the heat. Fry, while constantly stirring, and after about a minute it will look a little translucent.

3. Add the red wine and stock, and bring to the boil. Reduce the heat and simmer, stirring frequently, for about 15-20 minutes until the rice is tender. The rice should not just be soft on the outside but the grain inside also. If it is still not cooked once the liquid is absorbed, keep adding small amounts of boiling water until it is done so.

4. Once the rice is cooked remove from the heat. Stir in the chestnuts, half of the Parmesan, the butter and a little seasoning. Divide between plates and sprinkle over the remaining thyme and Parmesan.

Copyright © 2011 Rebecca Legg

Rhubarb, Stem Ginger and White Chocolate Muffins

Rhubarb is commonly regarded to be this piercing fluorescent stick that we implant into crumbles and pies. Wrong, nay, it can be utilized in an array of dishes. Its sharp sour tang is what unites it so agreeably with rich, fatty meats and fishes, in particular pork and mackerel.

Nevertheless, possessing a sweet tooth I decided it was only fitting to create something for the sugar department, but entailing a bit more excitement than your customary rhubarb desserts. Rhubarb is also a loving partner to stem ginger and white chocolate, and so this how these muffins came about. Feel free to add more stem ginger if you love its intensity or even use ground ginger instead if you are budgeting, and to turn into a dessert serve with custard.

Makes 12

300g rhubarb, roughly chopped into 3cm pieces

150g white chocolate, roughly chopped

100g stem ginger, chopped

2 tbsp. of syrup, from the stem ginger jar

100g plus 3 tbsp., golden caster sugar

300g self-raising flour

1 tsp. bicarbonate of soda

2 eggs, beaten

200ml milk

100g butter, melted

Demerara sugar, to decorate

1. Heat the oven to 200°C/180°C fan/Gas Mark 6. Line a 12-hole muffin tray with paper cases.

2. Mix the rhubarb with the 3 tbsp. of golden caster sugar in a small baking tin and cook for approximately 5 minutes, until just tender but not mushy. Leave to cool.

3. Sieve the self-raising flour and bicarbonate of soda into a large mixing bowl. Mix in the milk, eggs, butter, stem ginger syrup, chopped stem ginger, white chocolate and remaining sugar. Then gently fold in the rhubarb including its juices.1.

4. Divide the mixture between the muffin cases. Sprinkle the tops with the demerara sugar. Bake for 15-20 minutes until risen and golden. Leave to cool for 5 minutes in the tin and then transfer the muffins to a wire rack to cool.