These are the exercise of both my culinary skills and passion for teaching, in the hope of raising the quality of modern European cooking in the Indian home kitchen, whilst championing the small & intimate sit down & served dinner party format that advances interesting dialogue, cultivated debate and enduring friendship … do try your hand at these recipes, for they are easy yet impressive, and above all delicious!
Et Voila, round 3 of the Modern European Thali Service, comprising a carefully chosen selection of recipes from DiyaSethi.com, in part color coordinated with my fabulous new acquisition from ‘The House of Things’, the Gulmohar Kansa Thali…
A dessert as synonymous with France as the Eiffel tower, which I have combined with our very own home grown brand of ice cream, ‘Chubby Cheeks’, and that too the very original and absolutely delicious ‘Holy Cannoli’ flavour that is in a league of its own…
Now this makes for a most precious little hors d’oeuvre and since I showed you how to make the choux pastry profiteroles some months ago, half the battle is already won; the only difference is the shape, which is precisely what I am going to demonstrate and teach this time around, in addition to a prawn cocktail…
This is a simply delicious and deliciously efficient palate cleanser, albeit with one hell of a kick I used to serve this Champagne & Lime Granita regularly at my table, as a much needed interlude to a 5 course meal, and it went down a storm! That said, it is equally effective in cleaning the palate after drinks and hors d’oeuvres, before moving to the table, especially as it serves a second purpose of opening up the appetite…
My penchant for purism may be going down the tube, but I must say that I have tested this out as an hors d’oeuvre at two dinner parties thus far, and am pleased to report that it has been a resounding successsour and sweet, fragile yet robust … in short an altogether seductive medley of flavours and textures, and super simple to construct…
For quite a while now, I have been wanting to do a European, smart casual version of a ‘noodle bowl’, and I must say that this is rather wonderful, served either in a mini version as part of a multi course menu, or maxi version for a one or two course meal…
So, here is one of my own personal favourites, Pan Fried Foie Gras, even though I am not a big fan of the pate of foie gras, and frankly, I could not have made this any easier for you than I have, by telling you where to pick up the fully prepared ingredients in Paris, France, and then guide you through the simplest of cooking techniques…
So this may be called a ‘two for one’, since last week I demonstrated the making of a chicken mousse with which to stuff a ballotine, and I hereby show you how to transform the leftover mousse into the most delicious quenelles served atop a sweetcorn velouté it’s easy, elegant & pretty darn exquisite…
… Served EITHER with Glazed Onions, Sauteed Mushrooms, Port & Brandy Enriched Cream Sauce, OR with Indian Ginger & Cumin Tempered Peas & Mushrooms, ‘Butter Chicken’ Gravy
Once again, I decided to try a little Indo-European partnership, and even if I say so myself, this too works like a dream since each & every Indian home kitchen has their own unique versions of both tempered peas & mushrooms, aka ‘mushroom matar’, and butter chicken…