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Rising to the occasion with choc and chillies
Chocolate and chillies go so well together so get melting!
WHEN I heard that the owners of the Wolseley restaurant in Piccadilly had opened a new restaurant called St Alban I almost tripped over to get to my phone fast enough to book a table. And off I went to Regent Street, W1.
Well, it was not what I was expecting but it was very welcoming, comfortable and the food was very good.
St Alban has geographical boundaries, for example the wines are from Italy, Portugal, France and Spain and nowhere else. I chose a Portuguese wine I had never heard of and so delicious was it that it is now on my own wine list.
The olives – and the Chef – are from Puglia and the bread basket is comprised of home baked sourdough, focaccia, grissini and crisp sheets of carta di musica which were the gourmet highlight of the evening and I would go back for them alone.
I have not asked the chef for any recipes but will give you a feel of the type of recipes below.
Salmon Steaks with Salsa Verde
You can either use wild salmon or the cheaper farmed salmon but either way you can’t go wrong. Serve with new potatoes and a green vegetable.
Serves 4
Ingredients
Four 200g thick salmon steaks.
A little olive oil.
Salt and freshly ground black pepper.
For the salsa verde:
Three tbsp flat-leaf parsley;
one tbsp mint leaves;
three tbsp capers, drained;
six anchovy fillets in oil drained;
one garlic clove, peeled;
one tbsp Dijon mustard;
Juice of half lemon;
120ml of extra virgin olive oil.
Method
Hand chop the ingredients on a board or use a food processor, but if using the processor then do not over whiz. Chop the parsley, mint, capers, anchovy fillets and garlic together. Put into a bowl and stir in the mustard, lemon juice, olive oil and a little salt. Brush the salmon steaks on both sides with some oil and season with salt and pepper.
Heat a heavy based pan to hot and then add some olive oil.
Place the salmon steaks in the pan skin side down.
Press with a spatula for a few seconds and then repeat with the other steaks. Cook for about a minute and then turn them. Cook again for about a minute or until just cooked.
The flesh will turn from dark red to pink. Do not overcook. Serve with the sauce.
Mandarin Souffles With Chocolate Chilli Sauce
Just make sure everyone is waiting at the table when it is ready otherwise the souffle will sink.
Serves 4
Ingredients
22g of butter;
22g of flour;
4fl oz of milk;
one satsuma, with grated; rind and juice;
one teasp caster sugar;
two eggs, separated;
25g dark chocolate;
one tbsp double cream;
five drops Tabasco.
Method
Preheat the oven 200C 400F Gas 6. Melt the butter in a small saucepan and then stir in the flour.
Pour in the milk and satsuma juice and stir over the heat to make a smooth sauce.
Add the grated rind and sugar and stir well.
Remove from the heat and stir in the egg yolks.
Whisk the egg whites until stiff and fold into the sauce.
Pour into four ramekins, stand on a baking tray and then cook in the oven for 12 minutes or until well risen and slightly brown on the top.
While the soufflés are cooking, melt the chocolate in a small saucepan with the cream and Tabasco and then pour into a small warmed jug.
When the soufflés are ready take straight to the table, split open the top crust and pour a little chocolate sauce into each soufflé and eat immediately. |
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