Lobster Ravioli with Saffron Mushroom Sauce

Ingredients

• 459 gram whole lobster, cooked and removed from the shell
  
• 2 soft white bread slices, crusts removed
• 200 mills fish stock
• 1 egg
• 250 mills double cream
• 1 tablespoon chopped chives
• 1 tablespoon chopped chervil
• Salt and pepper to season

Egg Pasta Dough

• 2 cups durum flour
• 2 eggs, plus 2 extra egg yolks

Mushroom Sauce

• 2-3 saffron threads
• 2 tablespoons butter
• 2 shallots, finely chopped
• 3 cups button mushrooms, finely chopped
• Juice of 1/2 a lemon
• 200 mills heavy cream

Method - Pasta

• Sift the flour and a pinch of salt into a bowl and put into a food processor.
• Add the eggs and yolks and process until mixture becomes crumbly.
• Turn out onto a floured clean surface and knead until the dough is smooth.
• Wrap in cling foil and rest in the fridge for 1 hour.
• With either a pasta maker or by hand with a rolling pin, roll the dough into a 3mm thickness.  
• Cut the dough into four rectangles and dust with flour.
  

Method - Lobster Filling

• Cut the lobster into chunks and put into a large bowl.
• Tear the bread  into small pieces and soak in a separate bowl with 3 tablespoons of the fish stock.
• Put the bread mixture into the food processor and add half of the egg together with 3 tablespoons of cream.  Process until a smooth texture.
• Stir the mixture into the lobster meat, adding the chives, chervil and seasoning.

Method - Assemble the Ravioli

• Spoon 6 equal parts of the filling onto one sheet of pasta dough, leaving 3 cm between each pile.
• Lightly beat the remaining egg, adding 1 tablespoon of water and then brush over the past between the piles of filling.
• Cover with a second sheet of pasta, pressing lightly with your finger tips around filling to ensure no air is trapped and it is well sealed.
  
• Repeat with the other two sheets of pasta and filling.
• Cut at equal distances between each filling pile to make 12 ravioli.  
• Place on a baking tray, cover with cling foil and place in the fridge until the sauce is made.

Method - Saffron Mushroom Sauce

•  Soak the saffron threads in 1 tablespoon of warm water.
• Melt the butter in a pan and sweat the shallots over a low heat until they are soft.
• Add the chopped mushroom and lemon juice and cook on a low heat until most of the liquid has evaporated.
• Stir in the saffron, together with the water it has soaked in and then add the cream.
• Gently stir until the sauce thickens.
• Keep warm while you cook the ravioli.

Method - Ravioli

• Cook ravioli in salted boiling water for 3-4 minutes then carefully drain.
• Assemble three ravioli on to the centre of four warmed plates and then spoon over a little of the mushroom sauce. 
• Serve immediately with chopped chives.
  

Spaghetti alle vongole (Spaghetti with Clams)

Ingredients

• 700grams small fresh clams 
• 3 tablespoons olive oil
• 3 cloves of garlic, crushed and finely chopped
• 1 tablespoon anchovy paste, or 4 drained anchovy fillets, finely chopped
• 400 grams of skinned chopped tomatoes 
• 1/2 cup white wine
• 2 tablespoons flat leaf parsley
• 400 grams cooked spaghetti
• Salt and pepper to taste

Method

• Wash and scrub the clams and put in a large saucepan.  
• Cover pan with lid and place over a high heat for 3-4 minutes.  Give this a shake every minute, until all the clams have opened and discard any that remain closed.
• Strain into a sieve and reserve the clam juice.  
• In a separate pan, heat oil and add the garlic until lightly coloured.  
• Stir in the anchovy paste/fillets and then add the tomatoes along with the reserved clam juice and wine.
• Add the parsley and bring to the boil, then simmer, uncovered for 20 minutes.
• Add seasoning to taste and toss in the spaghetti until well coated with the clam mixture.

Spagetti with bacon, mushrooms and cream

Ingredients

• Cooked and drained spaghetti
• 6 wiped button mushrooms, sliced
• 2 cloves of garlic, crushed and chopped
• 200 grams pancetta, sliced
• 2 tablespoons olive oil
• 1/2 cup grated Italian hard cheese
• 200 mills cream
• Salt and pepper to taste

Method

•  To a frying pan, add oil, garlic and and cook till slightly crispy.
• Add mushrooms and cook for a further 3 minutes.
• Add cream, cheese and seasoning and heat through.
• Mix spaghetti in the pan with the cream sauce and serve, topped with extra cheese.

Thai Cucumber Salad

Ingredients

• Half of a telegraph cucumber, scored, sliced and halved
• 1 echelon shallot, cut lengthwise and sliced
• 4 tablespoons white vinegar
• 5 tablespoons white sugar
• 3/4 teaspoon salt
• 1 small red chilli, sliced into thin rings

Method

• Put the sliced vegetables into a salad bowl.
• Pour the vinegar, sugar and salt into a saucepan and gently bring to the boil.  
• Simmer until the sugar has completely dissolved and then leave to cool.
• Once cool, pour over the cucumber and shallots and mix well.
• Chill well before serving.

Butterflied Roast Lamb

Ingredients

• 1 leg or shoulder of lamb (800 grams), boned and butterflied
• 3 cloves garlic, roughly crushed
• 2 teaspoons finely grated lemon rind
• 1-2 teaspoons lemon juice
• 1 teaspoon finely grated fresh ginger
• 1 tablespoon light soy sauce
• freshly ground black pepper
• 1 teaspoon salt crystals

Method

• Make several shallow cuts in the thickest part of the meat.  This makes the thicker sections cook more evenly.
• Trim fat without breaking the meat apart.
• Mix garlic, lemon rind, lemon juice, ginger, soy sauce, pepper and salt and rub evenly all over the surface of the lamb.
• Marinade in the fridge overnight.  Take out and sit at room temperature for an hour prior to cooking.
• Preheat oven to 220 degrees Celsius and cook for 10 mins, then reduce heat to 190 degrees Celsius and cook for a further 45 minutes.
• Rest for 10-15 minutes before carving.
• Serve with a squeeze of lemon together with Algarvian tomato salad, roast potatoes and mixed leaf salad.

Thai Cucumber Dipping Sauce

Ingredients

• 1/2 Lebanese or small cucumber, de-seeded and finely chopped
• 1/4 cup sugar
• 1/2 cup water
• 1/4 cup white vinegar
• 1/2 tablespoon grated fresh ginger
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1 small fresh red Thai chillie, thinly sliced
• 2 spring onions, thinly sliced
• 1 tablespoon coriander, roughly chopped

Method

• Place the cucumber into a small heat proof serving bowl.
• Combine the sugar, water, vinegar, ginger and salt in a small saucepan.
• Stir over a mild heat, without boiling, until the sugar has dissolved.
• Pour over the chopped cucumber and sprinkle with chillie, spring onion and coriander.
• Refrigerate until completely chilled and serve with Thai fish cakes.

Tod Mun Pla - Thai Fish Cakes

Ingredients

• 500 grams snapper, redfish or cod, skinned and boned
• 2 tablespoons red curry paste
• 2 fresh kaffer lime leaves, roughly torn
• 2 spring onions, roughly chopped
• 1 tablespoon fish sauce
• 1 tablespoon lime juice
• 2 tablespoons coriander, finely chopped
• 3 snake beans (30g), finely sliced (substitute with found French beans if necessary)
• 2 small fresh red Thai chillies, finely chopped
• Oil for deep frying (preferably peanut)

Method

• Slice the fish into small pieces and the blend or process the curry paste, lime leaves, spring onions, fish sauce and lime juice until it forms a smooth paste.
• Transfer fish mixture into a medium sized bowl and add coriander, beans and chilli.
• Wet your hands and roll a heaped tablespoon of the mixture into a ball then flatten into a cake shape; repeat with remaining mixture.
• Heat oil in a wok or large saucepan and deep fry cakes in batches, until they reach a golden red colour
• Drain on kitchen paper and serve with cucumber dipping sauce.

Wonton Soup

Ingredients

1 packet wonton wrappers (40 pcs)
8 cups beef or chicken stock
2 teaspoons sesame oil
1 tablespoon soya sauce
2 baby bok choy, quartered length wise and trimmed
2 spring onions, finely chopped
Salt and white pepper, to taste

Filling

• 200 grams minced pork
• 150 grams shrimps, finely chopped or minced
• 2 spring onions, finely chopped
• 1 tablespoon water chestnuts, finely chopped
• 1 teaspoon fresh ginger, minced 
• 1 tablespoon cornflour mixed with 3 tablespoons of water
• 1/4 teaspoon white pepper
• 3/4 teaspoon salt
• 1 teaspoon sesame oil
• 1 tablespoon soya sauce
• 1 teaspoon shaohsing wine or sherry

Method

• Combine the ingredients for the wontons and mix well.  Set aside for 30 minutes to marinate.
• Place wonton wrappers under a damp cloth and work with one wrapper at a time, spooning one rounded teaspoon of filling onto the centre.
• With dampened fingers, wet the four edges. Make a triangle by folding the wrapper in half over the filling, making sure the ends met and the filling is centered and then seal by pressing the edges together firmly.
• Wet two corners and bring together and press to seal, transfer to an oiled plate and cover with a damp cloth to prevent drying out.
• Repeat with remaining wrappers and filling.
• Blanch the vegetables in a saucepan with boiling water and ½ tsp of salt. Cook for about a minute, drain and set aside.
• Bring a saucepan of water to a boil with a few drizzles of cooking oil. Cook the wontons for 4 minutes. Remove the wontons with a slotted spoon and divide the portions into each bowls.
• Bring the chicken stock to a boil. Add the sesame oil, soya sauce, shaohsing wine, and salt to taste.
• Ladle the chicken stock into the bowls of wontons. Top with vegetables, chopped spring onions and some white pepper. Serve immediately.