Pesto makes a dish perfect
This dish has just been added to the new August menu at the restaurants. This fantastic, simple, starter is a perfect light bite or great way to start a wonderful flavoursome meal if holding a dinner party. Creamy goats cheese, complimented with walnuts, figs, cherries and served with a crisp rye bread and crunchy endive salad is simple, classic, and has great textures.
Preparation time is less than 2hrs 30mins. Cooking time 30/ 40 mins.
For Rye bread: 200g rye flour, plus extra for dusting; 200g strong white or wholemeal flour; 7g sachet fast- action dried yeast; half tsp fine salt; one tbs honey.
For the goats cheese: Four slices of goats cheese log; 50ml double cream; 25ml olive oil.
For the lemon curd: 100g/ 3 and half oz unsalted butter; three large free range eggs, plus one egg yolk; four unwaxed lemons, zest and juice; 7oz/ 200g caster sugar.
Macerated Berries: 50g cherries; 50g figs; 50g sugar; one pint water; 50ml elderflower Pimms.
For the pesto: 200ml olive oil; 25g toasted pine nuts; one garlic clove, peeled and crushed; 25g fresh Parmesan; 100g packet of fresh basil; salt and pepper for seasoning.
For the Balsamic pickled shallots: 100g small shallots or pearl onions; 50g white wine vinegar; 25 ml of olive oil; 100ml water; 50g caster sugar; half tbs salt; Basil leaves; 50ml balsamic vinegar. Preheat oven to 200 OC Lemon curd: Put the lemon zest, juice, sugar and butter into a heat proof bowl. Stir the bowl over a pan of gently simmering water, keep stirring until the butter has completely melted. Lightly whisk the eggs and single yolk and stir them slowly into the mixture, whisk until all ingredients are well combined. Leave to cook for 8- 10 mins stir occasionally, until the mixture creamy and thick enough to cover the back of a spoon. Take off heat and Place into sterilised jar and chill in fridge.
For the Rye Bread: Tip the flours, yeast and salt into a bowl. In a jug, mix the honey with 250ml warm water, pour the liquid into the bowl and mix to form a dough. Rye flour can be quite dry and absorbs lots of water, if the dough looks too dry add more warm water until you have a soft dough. Tip out onto your work surface and knead for 10 mins until smooth. Rye contains less gluten than white flour so the dough will not feel as springy as a conventional white loaf. Place the dough in a well- oiled bowl, cover with cling film and leave to rise in a warm place for 1- 2 hrs, or until roughly doubled in size. Dust a 2lb/ 900g loaf tin with flour. Tip the dough back onto your work surface and knead briefly to knock out any air bubbles. If using caraway seeds work these in to the dough. Shape into a smooth oval loaf and pop into your tin. Cover the tin with oiled cling film and leave to rise somewhere warm for a further 1 – 1.5 hr, or until doubled in size. Heat oven to 220C/ 200C fan/ gas 7. Remove the cling film and dust the surface of the loaf with rye flour. Slash a few incisions on an angle then bake for 30 mins until dark brown and hollow sounding when tapped. Transfer to a wire cooling rack and leave to cool.
For the goat’s cheese: Place the goat’s cheese into a food processor and add the cream and oil slowly, and don’t over blitz – it will split.
For the pesto: Place all the ingredients in a large jug and hand- blend down to create the perfect fresh basil pesto.
For the shallots: Place all ingredients ( apart from shallots) into a sauce pan and bring to the boil. Add the shallots and simmer for a 15 mins.