The Italian Evening at The Dover Castle Brighton

My heartiest congratulations, and kudos, to Chef Jason Bear and the good people of the Dover Castle Brighton, for hosting an Italian Evening last night....oh the official title was:

Italian Food For Families, Friends and Lovers

Irrespective of semantics the food, atmosphere and service were absolutely bloody brilliant.

The small plates of splendid, tasty and homemade Italian food were great. Chef Jason Bear created dishes using family recipes, and made use of a rolling pin for the homemade pasta (no poncey modern pasta machines for him!).

The food was top notch and, as far as I am concerned, the lasagne was the best I have ever had (even better than my own!). Also, by the way, the lamb neck with borlottie beans was ace. Eva was well pleased with her arancini and calamari.

Oh, and by the way, the Prosecco and sambucas lubricated our palettes nicely.

Please may we have more of these evenings!

Roasted Pumpkin and Garlic Soup

Ingredients

-pumpkin
-two heads of garlic
-bay leaves
-onion chopped
-olive oil
-butter
-chicken stock
-sea salt/pepper
-nutmeg

Method

-halve the pumpkins and discard seeds/stringy bits
-score and season
-place garlic and bay leaves in each half and drizzle with olive oil
-roast at 180 for 1 hour
-soften onion in olive oil and nutmeg
-scoop out cooked pumpkin and add to onion
-squeeze out garlic and add
-discard bay leaves
-add stock
-add a good sized knob of butter
-blitz

Lovely and warming for a winter's evening!

Pea Soup

Ingredients

-frozen peas
-onion (chopped)
-potato (chopped)
-chicken stock
-water
-salt/pepper

Method

Put everything into a saucepan, simmer for twenty minutes.

Blitz.

A lovely warming, comforting soup for a winter's day.

The Ivy Revisited - In Which The Ivy Grows a Pair

We went to the Ivy again on Saturday, with a chum who was down from London, and had a rip roaring evening.

Kudos and thanks to the good people of the Ivy for putting on a splendid evening for us, the food was excellent (I highly commend the Shepherd's Pie - which, btw, needs to be served as a larger portion) as was the ambience and the service first class (special mention in dispatches for our splendid waiter, who is a natural people person and showman in the very best sense of the word!).

Loyal readers will recall that when I first reviewed The Ivy in May, I made the following observation:

"NB: for reasons best known to the Ivy they won't flame your Sambuca (for full details please see my views on that here)."

Which I then waxed lyrical about on Nanny Knows Best.

I am very pleased to report that since then #SambucaGate has been addressed, The Ivy has grown a pair, and flaming Sambucas are now on the menu there!

They were served with enthusiasm, gusto and were splendid.

Kudos!

Beaujolais Nouveau At The Independent Brighton

Kudos and thanks to Chef Sam Ireland and the good people of  The Independent Brighton for laying on a splendid Beaujolais Nouveau evening last night.

It was a hoot and a half!

Butter Cured Steak

Roast Pheasant and Bread Sauce

As we are now in the autumnal months my chum Derek Stott, of D and D Family Butchers, had some local pheasant in his shop.

Here is a recipe for roast pheasant with bread sauce.

Ingredients

-pheasant
-carrots
-onion
-cooking apple
-bay leaves
-cloves
-lemon
-butter
-smoked streaky bacon (from Derek of course!)
-bread
-milk
-salt/pepper

Method

Grate the onion and sweat in olive oil, combine with a grated peeled cooking apple and add lemon juice.

Stuff the pheasant with the above.

Smear liberally with butter, then cover in bacon.

Put the bird on the sliced carrots in a casserole, and roast at 190 for around 1 hour 30 mins.
Rest the bird upside down for 15 minutes in order to ensure juices flow to the breast.

Stud half an onion with cloves and infuse the onion and bay leaves in warm milk.

Discard onion and bay leaves, add bread crumbs and warm whilst adding butter and salt and pepper.

Voilà, a meal fit for a king!

Beef Bacon

Look at what’s out of the smoker... our NEW BEEF BACON.

Come and get it. £1.89 per 100 grams #artisan #properbutcher pic.twitter.com/0Wk0yldHJT

— LEE HORSLEY FROST (@frostybutcher) November 8, 2018

Restaurant Idiocy - WE WANT ROUND PLATES!

No need to apologise, people quite like plates.

(Pic: @ShaunGunner) pic.twitter.com/WaqSLNzs3r

— We Want Plates 🍽 (@WeWantPlates) November 6, 2018

Bolognese Sauce

Ingredients

-mince
-onion
-garlic
-olive oil
-bay leaves
-mixed herbs
-stock
-chopped tomatoes
-red wine
-sun dried tomato paste
-sun dried tomatoes
-fresh parsley
-Worcestershire sauce
-salt/pepper

Method

Sweat onions, garlic, herbs and bay leaves in olive oil.

Add the mince and sauté, then add everything else and simmer for an hour.

Top Tip

When the spaghetti is cooked, add two ladels of the water to the bolognese.

Pumpkin and Apple Veloute - The Independent Brighton

Kudos and respect to Chef Sam Ireland and the good people of the Independent, for this splendid soup (yes, I call it soup;)) which I had last night.

It was bloody marvellous, flavoursome and silky smooth.

Ideal for an autumnal evening!