Review: Sacla' at The Friday Food Club

You’ve got sauce

A summer’s evening by the Thames for some quality food and vino

Despite several trips to idyllic Italy, we have never tired of its diverse landscape, achingly good wine and simple but delicious food. Last Friday we unfortunately were not on the banks of Lake Garda or trekking the undulating hills of Umbria, but attended an equally pleasing dinner courtesy of Sacla’, the Italian Food Company and The Friday Food Club.  The evening was organised to showcase Sacla’s new range of fresh produce and celebrate the brand’s 20th year. The parmesan on the pasta (ok, groan) is that not only would The Friday Food Club (Lee & Fi) be preparing the meal that evening as part of their renowned Supper Club, but they would be teaming with Masterchef Professionals Winner 2009 Steve Groves, Ex River Cottage Head Chef Mark Lloyd, renowned food terrorist John Quilter and private caterer Lily Simpson.   

 

The Mediterranean sun-gods shone down on us, as we were welcomed to the evening with a refreshing glass of Bruno Giacosa Extra Brut Spumante, on the al fresco terrace of the Auriol Kensington Rowing Club in Hammersmith.  The Spumante was light, effervescent and biscuity in taste.  We immediately relaxed us into the celebration. The hubbub of Friday evening revelry from pub goers below us and enchanting views over the Thames made us giddy with anticipation as we mingled with twitterati friends.  The attentive waiting staff glided in between guests offering platters of sage puffs, quails eggs with artichoke and basil sauce, poached mussels pesto cream crumb and goats cheese and tomato pesto calzoncini.

The amuse buche was a coriander pesto pea fritter with spiced green sauce. The coriander pesto, using cashew instead of pine nuts is part of the Sacla’ Italian range, however the pre-starter felt Asian inspired. The crisp fritter dipped in the sauce had a superb bite, and the kick from the heat had a satisfying warmth.  It was served with a Roero Arnies 2010. The wine was flaxen in colour with delicate apricot and citrus aromas. It had an intensity which married well with the fritters.

Coriander pesto pea fritter with spiced green sauce

The primi platti was Sacla’ fresh Trofie pasta with cherry tomato and wild garlic sauce and shaved aged parmesan. I enjoyed this dish as it was probably one of the truest to the Sacla’ range. Endorsements by people we trust are great, but I had been sceptical as to whether we would have the opportunity to try any of the range in its true, naked, no bells and whistles form.  Foodies do not like to admit we buy ready made meals, or eat take away. Keith and I lead busy lives and we sometimes have to take shortcuts at meal times, especially on a Friday night post a sociable Thursday evening.  We could imagine ourselves on an evening off from the kitchen, tucking into a bowl of comforting pasta smothered with a rich, tangy vine tomato sauce, sprinkled with fresh basil and parmesan shavings. 

Fresh Trofie pasta with cherry tomato and wild garlic sauce and shaved aged parmesan

Secondi platti consisted of arancini and pork bitterballen served with spicy red pepper sauce and rocket pecorino salad.  The delicious breadcrumbed risotto spheres were crisp on the surface and then oozed seductively with molten mozzarella.  The spicy red pepper sauce fired subtle heat bullets, dissipating the richness of the balls. The pork bitterballen (a Dutch mince cutlet) was equally tasty. We felt that maybe the arancini and bitterballen were a little too similar in texture.  We would have been perfectly happy eating one or the other.  This course was accompanied by Nebbiolo D’Alba a fantastic, mellow, strawberry hued wine, bursting with summer berries.  I could not resist the hypnotic, allure of the ripe bouquet. 

Arancini and pork bitterballen served with spicy red pepper sauce and rocket pecorino salad

For dessert we had bison grass vodka and mint pannacotta with candied pistachio and summer berries. Lee was concerned for the wobble, but he needn’t have been as it had the perfect Jessica Rabbit swagger.  It was deliciously light and creamy with a sexy, boozy bite but underlying hint of refreshing mint. The candied pistachio provided a crunchy texture whilst the fruity summer berry offered bursts of sweetness.

Bison grass vodka and mint pannacotta with candied pistachio and summer berries

The Supper goers of the evening were ablaze with commendations. In the morning, the Twitterati fired praise and pleasure for Sacla’, Friday Food Club and Team’s hosting efforts.  Another fabulous evening was had by all, so a special thank-you to Lee, Fi and Claire Blampied (Sacla UK’s Managing Director).  We look forward to lazy suppers with wholesome bowls of Sacla’ fresh pasta and authentic sauces accompanied by a splash of red wine. 

Say “Sacla’ Fresh”!

Sacla’ Fresh Range – available in Selfridges, Waitose and Opodo

The Friday Food Club

Steve Groves

Mark Lloyd

John Quilter

Lily Simpson

Top Chefs: Steve Groves, Mark Lloyd, Lily Simpson and John Quilter

Recipe: Steamed Kahlua Soufflé with Hot Chocolate Sauce

But sure as cream and Kahlua scream

There are times when entertaining, when you have to take a risk in order to make your guests very pleased with you.  Creating a soufflé is one of the moments which can earn you deep admiration.

You may not be a fan of coffee, but this pudding has a very subtle flavour and the light, bubbly texture means it is simply heavenly. The warm, velvet chocolate sauce adds a welcomed enveloping rich contrast.

It is best to serve the Soufflés as soon as they have finished cooking.  Timing is essential, so serve your cheese course first which will allow you enough time to put together your dessert.  The chocolate sauce can be made in advance and heated just prior to serving.  You can prepare the soufflés up to the point when you need to add the egg whites. 

Makes 6:

Ingredients for the Soufflés:

• 2 tbsp medium ground coffee
• 6 tbsp water, boiling
• 285ml double cream (We used light)
• 6 tbsp white breadcrumbs
• 4 eggs, separated
• 50g soft brown sugar
• 3 tbsp Kahlua

Ingredients for the Chocolate Sauce:

• 6 tbsp water, tepid
• 6 tbsp granulated sugar
• 3 tbsp Kahlua
• 120g plain chocolate, grated

Method for the Soufflés:

1. Mix coffee with water and leave to infuse for 30 minutes. 
2. Strain coffee through a fine sieve.
3. Pre-heat your oven to 180C (350F) or Gas Mark 4 
4. Grease 6 200ml capacity ramekin dishes.
5. Whip the cream in a large mixing bowl until it can hold its shape.
6. Beat in the strained coffee, breadcrumbs, egg yolks, brown sugar and Kahlua.
7. Whisk the egg whites until they are stiff.
8. Lightly fold them in your coffee mixture.
9. Carefully spoon into your ramekin dishes.
10. Stand them in a roasting tin with enough hot water to come halfway up their sides.
11. Cook for 20–25 minutes until just set and springy to the touch.

Method for the Chocolate Sauce:

1. Mix the water and sugar in a pan and stir over a gentle heat until dissolved.
2. Boil for one minute.
3. Remove from heat and add chocolate and Kahlua.
4. Stir on the head for a further 30 seconds until the chocolate has dissolved.
5. Remove from the heat

Serve the Kahlua Soufflés on warm plates, trickled with chocolate sauce. 

I wish we had not needed to photograph our ramekins as our soufflés did not rise as much as we would have liked.  They were delicious though and will be worth another attempt in the future.

Recipe: Fish Cakes and tartar sauce

I do want fish cakes

We sometimes feel a bit lazy and just want to put together a quick midweek dinner that's still tasty without being unhealthy. In the past, shop bought fish cakes and salad fit the bill perfectly but over time we lost interest in the packaged variety. Today being midweek (I'm writing this on a Wednesday) I thought I'd revive this old favourite but this time I wanted to create my own and serve it with a punchy tartar sauce that would put its jarred compadres to shame.

Fish Cake Ingredients

• 500g potato
• 500g fresh white fish (I used whiting)
• 400ml milk
• 100g bread crumbs
• 2 tbsp chopped flat leaf parsley
• 2 eggs
• Zest of 1 lemon
• 3 spring onions, finely chopped
• Salt and pepper to taste

Tartar Sauce (light) Ingredients

• 200g creme fraiche
• 1 shallot, finely chopped
• 2 small pickles, finely chopped
• 2 tbsp capers
• 2 tsp lemon juice
• 1 tsp whole grain mustard
• 1 tsp horseradish sauce
• pinch of salt

Method

1. Peel and boil the potatoes until soft and mash. Allow to cool.
2. In a large frying pan, poach the fish in the milk for 5 minutes and set to one side to cool.
3. Once cool, remove the skin from the fish and any bones and flake the flesh.
4. Add the mashed potato, flaked fish, spring onion and lemon zest into a bowl and mix evenly.
5. Using your hands, mould the mixture into 6 evenly size cakes. They should be approximately 6cm in diameter and no more than 2cm thick.
6. Coat the cakes in egg and then breadcrumbs mixed with the chopped parsley and leave in the fridge for at least 30 minutes. This allows the fish cakes to bind a little to prevent them from breaking up when cooked.
7. Heat 1cm deep of vegetable or sunflower oil in a frying pan. To ensure the oil is hot enough before cooking, drop in a small piece of bread and it should bubble a little and turn golden after a few seconds. Carefully add the fish cakes and cook on each side until even and golden in colour.
8. Remove the fish cakes from the pan onto kitchen towel to remove any excess oil.
9. Before serving, heat the cakes in the oven at 180C/Gas mark 4 for 12 to 15 minutes.
10. Prepare the tartar sauce by combining the ingredients into a bowl

Recipe: Memories of Verona - Gorgonzola and Walnut Pasta

It's a hard nut life for us

Six years ago, Keith and I were in Verona celebrating our 6 month anniversary of being married.  On the second night we stumbled upon a tiny restaurant where for forty six euros Keith and I enjoyed a feast worthy for a king, which include three courses, a prosecco aperitif, coffees and a shot of grappa (which we are not really fans of but the waiter was really friendly so it was hard to say no).  The most memorable part of the meal was the pasta which Keith has re-created tonight.  The gorgonzola cheese works perfectly with the walnuts which give the dish a lovely texture. Keith's Italian friend Tony came around for dinner this evening so the pressure was on to make something that could pass off as authentic cooking from his motherland. Thankfully, our guest was not disappointed and described the dish as heavenly.

Ingredients

• 200g pasta
• 100g Gorgonzola cheese cut into cubes
• 80g pancetta or bacon
• 100g Mushrooms, coarsley chopped
• 2 tbsp Créme fraiche
• 40g walnuts smashed or blitzed into small pieces
• 1 small ciabatta roll, blitzed into crumbs
• 2 cloves garlic, finely chopped
• chopped parsley

Method

1. Put the pasta on to boil
2. Whilst the pasta is boiling, cook the pancetta in a frying pan or skillet on a medium to high heat (no oil required)
3. Add the mushrooms to the meat after about 2 to 3 minutes, reduce the heat and cook for a further 3 minutes.
4. Remove the pancetta and mushrooms from the pan into a suitable container and set to one side.
5. Heat the pan with a couple of tablespoons of olive oil and then add the garlic.
6. Add the bread crumbs after about 20 seconds and mix well with the garlic. Reduce the heat so you don't burn the bread or the garlic and cook toast until golden brown.
7. Drain the pasta but keep a few table spoons of the water. Return the pasta and water to the pan.
8. Stir in the cheese, walnuts and creme fraiche followed by the bacon and mushrooms and stir well.

Serve in a pasta bowl and top with the toasted crumbs and chopped parsley.

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