I was thinking of a menu, keeping in mind the onset of Summer. Most of the hotels & restaurants change their menu according to seasons, to use the most of the seasonal fruits & vegetables, which in accordance supports & controls various factors, first & foremost being offering changes to their taste buds, controlling the cost factors & budget & many other stuff.
Secondly, this menu is carefully selected for the upcoming Easter holidays or even you may cook it for your Easter dinner/lunch. I am not claiming that this is the traditional Easter menu,however, this menu is just to give a change to your taste buds.
Anyways, instead of beating around the bush, let me put the menu that I have been planning today..
Buona Pasqua!
Antipasti
Pomodorini e Mozzarella grigliata spiedini con olio di basilico
Grilled cherry tomato & Mozzarella Skewers with basil oil
Primo Piatto
Risotto alle Fragole e rose rosse
Risotto with red roses & strawberries
Secondi Piatto
Quagliette Bardate con polenta grigliata, peperonata e salsa di arrosto
Pan roasted quails with parma ham, grilled polenta, stewed peppers & roasting jus
Dolci
Zuccotto
Tuscan Icecream Cake
Antipasti if broken comes as "Anti" & "pasti", simply means "what is served before pasta". The Antipasti that I have selected is pretty simple. The traditional combination of mini Buffalo Mozzarella & cherry tomatoes[pomodorini] are put into skewers & drizzled with some basil oil, thus resembling the colour of the flag of Italy--Red, White & green. Prior to putting the tomatoes in skewers, they are being lightly tossed in pan in high heat, to render a little color. Alternatively you may grill them. Once they cool down, put the tomatoes & the mozzarella in skewers & drizzle the basil oil. Adjust seasoning & you must serve cold.
Note on the Primo Piatto
Generally in the traditional Italian courses of Menu, pasta is served as Primo Piatto. Else, it is risotto, soup, polenta, gnocchi is served in this course. Why starch is served in this course basically??I need to find an answer to this question..
Sometimes fish is also served, if the main course is not a fish.
Strawberries are in their peak in this season & it will well-merge with the colours like red rose & also the risotto. Red risotto, an artist wanted to make--so he added some rose petals in the risotto. This risotto is finished off with grated emmenthal--not in compliance with the traditional parmesan[or its reasonable substitute Grana padano].
Note on the secondi piatto
I have thoughtfully selected Quail as it is quite uncommon to find in the table. Generally, we select lamb, chicken, beef, pork or veal for the main course, so to make quite distinct, I have selected quail. This is pretty simple as like the other courses. The small birds are pan roasted with some white wine, which again helps in making its sauce [pan juices].
Grilled polenta is one of the easiest stuff, whilst stewed peppers are too!!!
Note on the Dolci
Zuccotto is the Tuscan Ice-cream cake. Traditionally made in a dome shaped mould--"zuccotto" has come from the word "zucca" in Italian it means "Pumpkin", so is the mould. Sponge fingers are used for making the cake, which are soaked in orange liqeuer [Cointreau or Drambuie] & start lining your mould. Then starts filling with whipped cream, an array of nuts, berries , chocolate & finally refrigerate overnight.
The result...well, its really worth making & testing....
Recipes???Well...after planning this menu, now I am planning to cook this & then pass on the recipe to you...
Looking at my food habits, sometimes people start wondering my nationality or religion [celebrating Christmas, Easter & many more stuff...certainly its not an act of blasphemy I consider]but I am happy with what I am or I have....but perhaps I was born in Italy....so that I could always *hog* in Bologna..
Buon Apetito!!!
No comments:
Post a Comment