Turn the lights down for these bold and beautiful recipes perfect for an intimate dinner party, from roast beef in a divine blue cheese and mustard sauce, to ice cream with red wine pears.
Starter: Oysters with pickled red onion
Entree: Squid ink risotto with scallops
Main: Rack of beef
Sides: Potatoes with wild mushrooms and kale; stuffed red onions
Dessert: Liquorice ice cream with poached pears
Oysters with pickled red onion
Nothing says decadence like freshly shucked oysters. The salty, briny flavour of the oysters topped with lumpfish caviar is offset with a slight sweetness from red onion marinated in chardonnay vinegar. Say no more, just enjoy. Makes 12.
½ small red onion, finely chopped
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Advertise with NZME.1 tsp caster sugar
1 Tbsp chardonnay vinegar
Pinch salt
2 Tbsp finely chopped spring onions
12 oysters, in the half shell
¼ cup lumpfish caviar
Dill leaves, to decorate
Ice, to serve
- Place the onion, sugar, vinegar and salt in a small bowl and allow to sit for at least 30 minutes. Stir through the chopped spring onion.
- Loosen the oysters from the shells. Place a little of the onion mixture on to each. Top with caviar and a dill sprig.
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Advertise with NZME.Squid ink risotto with scallops
A little goes a long way when it comes to squid ink. Find it at specialty stores or Asian supermarkets. Try adding a little to burnt butter then to a sauce, or add it to pasta dough for a truly impressive dish. Serves 6.
2 Tbsp olive oil
1 small onion, finely chopped
3 cloves garlic, crushed
1 finely chopped red chilli, seeds in1 tsp squid ink
1 cup arborio rice
½ cup white wine
4 cups chicken stock
2 Tbsp butter
½ cup finely chopped parsley
Salt and pepper, to season
6-12 scallops
2 Tbsp chopped parsley, to garnish
- Heat the oil in a heavy-based saucepan. Add the onion, garlic and half the chilli, cooking for 3-4 minutes until softened. Add the squid ink and rice, stirring through until well combined.
- Pour in the wine, cooking until it has evaporated. Add the stock in two or three lots, letting it absorb between additions, until the rice is just soft to the bite. Stir through 1 tablespoon of butter and the parsley, then season with salt and pepper.
- Heat the remaining butter in a frying pan. When hot cook the scallops for 2 or 3 minutes until just cooked through. Season.
- Serve the risotto topped with scallops and a sprinkle of extra parsley and chilli.
Rack of beef with Roquefort sauce
The combination of blue cheese, garlic and mustard is divine. These simple flavours can be served with any roast piece of beef. Slow-roasting the garlic brings out the heavenly sweet stickiness. Cook the beef to your liking then allow to rest for 15 minutes before carving. Serves 8-10.
3 whole bulbs garlic
¼ cup olive oil
2kg piece of beef rib
2 Tbsp Dijon mustard
Salt and pepper
Sauce
2 Tbsp brandy
½ cup cream
120g Roquefort cheese
Freshly ground pepper
- Preheat an oven to 170C.
- Place the garlic bulbs on a piece of foil, drizzle with 2 tablespoons of oil then wrap with the foil. Bake for 40 minutes. Remove and cool slightly. Cut bulbs in half and squeeze the garlic from two of the bulbs into a small bowl, keeping the third for garnish.
- Turn the oven to 200C.
- Drizzle the remaining oil over the beef. Heat a frying pan to a high heat and brown the rib on both sides. Place in an ovenproof roasting dish and smother over the mustard and the garlic squeezed from the bulbs. Season with salt and pepper. Roast for 40 minutes (for medium rare) or until cooked to your liking. Remove and allow to rest for 15 minutes before carving.
- For the sauce, place the brandy, cream and Roquefort in a small pot and stir over a low heat, allowing the cheese to melt and the sauce to combine. Serve warm over the beef.
Potatoes, wild mushrooms and kale
Add a little twist to new potatoes with wild mushrooms and vibrant green kale. Up the ante with a drizzle of truffle oil. Serves 6.
1 Tbsp olive oil
2 cloves garlic, thinly sliced
½ onion, finely chopped
600g new potatoes, blanched
2 Tbsp each chopped rosemary and thyme
200g wild mushrooms
2 cups roughly chopped kale leaves
Salt and freshly ground pepper
Truffle oil, to drizzle, optional
1. Warm the oil in a large frying pan. Add the garlic and onion, softening for 3 or 4 minutes. Add the potatoes and herbs, browning all over. Stir through the mushrooms until softened, then finally add the kale and allow it to wilt.
2. Season with salt and pepper and serve hot. Drizzle with 1 tablespoon of truffle oil if desired.
Stuffed red onions
This onion side dish makes any meal sing with super-soft shells full of flavour. Reserve the inside of the onions for using in soups, sauces and gravies. Makes 6.
6 medium-sized red onions
3 cloves garlic, crushed
1 stalk rosemary, chopped
1 Tbsp zest and lemon juice
1 Tbsp capers
1 cup fresh breadcrumbs
1 egg
Salt and freshly ground pepper
½ cup chopped parsley
1 cup white wine
- 1. Place the onions in a large pot. Cover with boiling water and simmer for 20-25 minutes or until soft but still holding their shape. Remove, and cool enough to handle. Peel, slice off the top and remove the inside of the onion, leaving the outside 2 or 3 layers intact.
- 2. For the stuffing, combine the garlic, chopped rosemary, lemon zest, juice, capers, breadcrumbs, egg, salt, pepper and parsley. Evenly fill each of the onions and place in an ovenproof dish. Pour over the wine and cover with foil. Bake for 30 minutes, then remove the foil and bake for a further 10 minutes. Serve hot alongside the beef.
Liquorice ice cream and bitter chocolate sauce
If you don’t have an ice cream maker, this is the ice cream for you. The liquorice creates a creamy texture that is a true delight. Remove from the freezer 10 minutes before plating and serve in scoops or slice like a loaf. Chocolate sauce makes for a sweet finale on top.
500ml cream
120g soft liquorice, chopped in
small pieces
250ml milk
3 egg yolks
½ cup sugar
Sauce
½ cup cream
100g dark chocolate, chopped small (72 per cent cocoa is preferable)
- Place half the cream and the liquorice in a pot and very slowly warm through for 10-15 minutes until the liquorice has completely softened. Remove and puree with a stick blender.
- Place the remaining cream and milk in a clean pot and bring to the boil.
- Beat the egg yolks and sugar until light and pale. Beat through the liquid liquorice, then slowly add the warm cream. Return the mixture to a clean pot.
- Slowly warm the mixture, stirring constantly until the custard coats the back of a spoon. Place in a bowl and refrigerate until cold.
- Line a loaf tin with baking paper. Beat the custard for 2 minutes then pour into the loaf tin, cover and freeze for at least 4 hours or overnight.
- For the sauce, heat the cream until boiling then stir through the chocolate until smooth. If making ahead of time, warm slightly before serving to bring it back to a pouring consistency.
Red wine pears
These pears are not only spectacular to look at but the flavour complements the ice cream beautifully. They can also be served alone with a dollop of mascarpone. Don’t throw away the aromatic wine, instead reduce it into a sticky sauce or add to the base of a casserole. It’s also the beginnings of a delicious mulled wine; try it topped up with a bottle of red. Makes 6.
3 cups red wine
1 cup sugar
2 cinnamon quills
4 orange wedges
6 medium-sized pears, peeled
- Place the wine, sugar, cinnamon and orange wedges in a large pot, then slowly bringing to a simmer. Add the pears and cook for 15 minutes or until a skewer will slide in easily. Turn them to ensure they are covered with wine. You can add a little water (or more wine) to cover.
- Once they are soft, cover and store in the fridge until needed.
Styling by Lauren Hyndman.
