Wednesday 30 March 2011

Tonight's Menu - Drambuie Custard

Starter
Vermicelli Wrapped Prawns with Lemon Basil Mayonnaise

Main
Semur Ayam
(Fried chicken stewed in sweet soy sauce)

Side Dishes
Sayur Keri
(Curried vegetables)

Dessert
Three Chimneys Hot Orange Pudding with Drambuie Custard
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Prawns fried in virgin olive oil, individually wrapped in a basil leaf then wrapped up in Vermicelli, resting on lemon basil mayonnaise. The mayonnaise is home made



This is an Indonesian dish. The chicken is fried and then stewed in sweet soy sauce



An Indonesian side dish to go with the Semur Ayam, the main ingredients are cauliflower, green beans and potato

 

Each person had three individual steamed puddings. The recipe asked for only an oz. of flour and a whole jar of marmalade. The Drambuie custard is home made. Drambuie is a liqueur made from malted whiskey, honey from heather flowers and mixed with herbs and spices.



Tonight's verdict:


Seven thumbs up! Or is that 14? How much Drambuie did I put in that custard...

Wednesday 23 March 2011

Tonight's Menu - Vive la France!

Starter
Willi's Wine Bar Grilled River Cobbler with Red Peppers, Capers and Cumin

Main
Auberge de la Madone's Beef Stew with Wild Mushrooms and Orange

Side Dishes
Madam Laracine's Potato Gratin and Garlic Herb Bread

Dessert
Madam Cartet's Lemon Tart with Cream
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River Cobbler (Pangasius hypophthalmus) is a fish from Vietnam or Thailand. It is a white meaty fish, very tender. Grilled for a few minutes and dressed in red peppers and capers in virgin olive oil.



This French beef stew used a one whole bottle of red wine, brandy and the zest and juice of oranges. Never tasted anything like it before. A unique and delicious flavor.



The crusty Gruyère cheese top Potato Gratin.



Garlic and herb bread along side the main dish



Everyone got their own individual lemon tart with cream served separately.



Cut through the lemon tart


This evening's verdict on tonight's French dinner:

Fantastique!

Wednesday 16 March 2011

Tonight's Menu - The Banana Bomb

Starter
Asparagus, Mozzarella & Prosciutto Parcels

Main
Red Thai Chicken Curry with Bamboo Shoots

Dessert
The Banana Bomb

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Asparagus nestled between Mozzarella wrapped in Italian Prosciutto ham, with a light vinaigrette dressing to start



Slicing it through the centre



Red Thai Chicken Curry made from scratch. No onions, garlic or ginger in this dish



The dessert had to be built in seven separate sections. Started this yesterday afternoon. This is the top of the Banana Bomb (with a lit sparkling fuse)!



The first layer is thick chocolate poured over the top of the bomb, sprinkled with chopped up Pistachios



Cutting through the middle revealed the rest of layers. From the top: vanilla cream, banana chocolate, home made Pistachio ice cream, sliced banana, chocolate mousse and banana cake



Number of empty plates at the end of dinner:

Seven out of seven


Brilliant!

Wednesday 9 March 2011

Tonight's Menu - Swordfish

Starter
Griddled Swordfish with Fennel and Sun Dried Tomatoes

Main
Beef Stroganoff

Dessert
Mango Napoleons with Caramel and Minted Cream

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Griddled Sword Fish for starter




Creamy Beef Strogonaff with Mushrooms on a bed of white rice




Between three layers of filo pastry was mango, lime, home made caramel and mint cream, dusted with sugar and decorated with a mint leaf




The verdict from the six family members at the table...


Six thumbs up!

Wednesday 2 March 2011

Tonight's Menu - Prawns and Papaya

Starter
Vietnamese Salad of Grilled Prawns with Papaya

Main
American Style Chicken
(Renamed at the table to 'Awesome Saucesome Chicken')

Side Dishes
Courgette & Tomato Tien with Spicy Potato Wedges

Dessert
Tuile Cups with Chocolate Swirls

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For the starter, we had a Vietnamese dish. The prawns were grilled.



The Awesome Saucesome Chicken (from America) sauce is made up of different everyday sauces



The Courgette & Tomato Tien with Gouda cheese topping, red peppers and rice, is a French dish



Home made Spicy Potato Wedges



Back to France with the Tuile Cups



The verdict for tonight's menu is in:


They loved it!

Past dishes that went down well

Torotataki with Spring Onion Pearls
This is seared Tuna. The green grapes are spring onion jelly.




Scallops with Ginger and Garlic



Beef Rendang and Sayur Lodeh





Apple and Cinnamon Brown Betty



Lime Posset with Caramelised Pineapple and Basil Cream



Millionaire's Mousse





Opera House Tart



Opera House Tart with Ruby Sauce