Cheat's Martini

I am home and as there are already plenty of hands helping out with Christmas cooking I am the one responsible for the provision of liquid fuel. Cheat's Martini is named so because it's not really a martini - after all it has both gin and vodka. It's a foundation of a Vesper, but it definitely isn't one either. What it is, is a very, very strong cocktail for those who like their cocktails decisive. So, if you like Tequila Sunrise or (dare I even mention it as a cocktail... Archer's and lemonade) you should probably stay away from this one.

You will need:

40 ml gin

20 ml vodka

2 drops angostura

2 olives

+ martini glass

Chill your glass with some ice. Put 6-8 ice cubes into the shaker and add the liquid ingredients in. Shake well and strain into your glass. Add the olives and enjoy responsibly. 

p.s. I called it "Cheat's Martini" only today as it needed a name, tho I am sure if I searched for long enough I would have found that it's been done before (I am sure it has!) and has a proper, more official name. If you do find it's proper name and think it suits the drink better - let me know.

Pear and Blue Cheese Risotto

I love (love love!) risottos. They are simple, they are tasty, they are impressive. And they are Italian. What more could you want? I agree, they require some practice and they are a bit time-consuming because they are attention-seeking dishes (it's the constant stirring I'm thinking of) but they are always totally worth it. Risotto is definitely my staple meal when I have people coming round for dinner. And if I want an impressive yet stress-free meal I go for one of my favourite risottos - Pear and Gorgonzola. Yup, you've heard it right - there are pears in it and there is blue cheese. And they work amazingly well together.

(c) Charlie Clift

Pear and Blue Cheese Risotto

You will need:

200g risotto rice (arborio or carnaroli)

500 ml vegetable stock

1/2 glass of white wine

1 small onion, chopped into cubes

200 g gorgonzola (dolce-latte works well too!), chopped

2 pears

olive oil

a knob of cold butter

salt, pepper

Cut the pears into small (but not too small) cubes and fry them with some butter until they are soft and caramelised. In the meantime fry the onion in a sauce pan with some olive oil, salt and pepper. Add the rice and fry for a minute or two. Add the wine and let it boil off stirring the rice constantly. Then add a ladle of stock and stir over reduced heat. Keep adding the stock until the rice is ready. You can tell it's done by biting through one piece - it should be all soft except the middle - a harder, small, white core should remain. If in doubt read the instructions on the packet - it normally takes about 20 minutes to cook the risotto rice. When the rice is almost done add the blue cheese and pear and stir them in until the cheese dissolves and the dish becomes all creamy. Then add a knob of cold butter and season with salt and pepper to taste.

Serve with some parmesan and, if you wish, a glass of red wine, because it goes very well with it.

E voila!

Winter in Bristol

Eggs Benedict

photos by Charlie Clift 

So, I poached eggs. With great help of my mum, the magic of internet and self-determination I attempted egg-poaching. I had this crazy idea of Eggs Benedict for Sunday breakfast but I've never made either hollandaise sauce or the eggs before. I'm not really a fan of eggs actually. Well, not in omelettes, quiches and scrambled varieties at least. But poached eggs are a whole different story - especially the way they serve them in Deco Lounge or Papaji's ... yummy! So ... I got stressed, swore loads, cursed myself and my ambitions even more but ended up creating a very satisfactory breakfast. And even though I failed with two of the four eggs I attempted, I'm still pleased with the result. You should try it too - it's the best lazy Sunday breakfast in the world.

You will need:

a packet or two of smoked salmon

4 English muffins or bagels

4 eggs

some white wine vinegar

for the Hollandaise Sauce:

1/2 lemon juice

4 egg yolks

salt and cayenne pepper

Make the sauce first: whisk the yolks in a saucepan
(or bowl) until they are smooth and creamy. Add the lemon juice and whisk some more. Then put the pan over a pot of simmering water and warm the sauce. Add salt and cayenne pepper. Make sure you don't heat the sauce to much because the yolks will scramble!

As for poaching the eggs: bring a flat sauce-pan of water to simmer. Add a tablespoon of vinegar into the water (in that way the eggs will form quicker). Crack the egg right above the water surface to keep it all together. Boil for about 3 minutes. You want the whites to be cooked and the middle to still be runny. Take out of the boiling water with a sieve or a pasta spoon (it has holes so will drain the water).

Assemble your Eggs Benedict: put some salmon on the toasted muffin, put the poached eggs on top and pour the sauce over the whole stack. Garnish with some pepper (and some parsley if you have any).

Have it with some milky tea and it's probably my idea of heaven on a plate.

A tiny bit of history: Lemuel Benedict, a retired Wall Street stock broker, claimed that he 1894 walked into the Waldorf Hotel and, hoping to find a cure for his morning hangover, ordered "buttered toast, poached eggs, crisp bacon and a hooker of hollandaise." Maitre d'hotel was apparently so impressed with the dish that he put it on the breakfast and menu substituting the toast for English muffins.