Category Archives: Nightingale

Watercress & Endive Salad, Roasted Carrots, Crispy Farro, Tahini Dressing

Ingredients:

2 bunches of watercress (washed and thick stems removed)
2 Belgian endives, split top to bottom, cut into 0.5cm ribbons
½ bunch orange carrots, scrubbed and split lengthways
3 tbsp carrot escabeche (recipe below)
5 tbsp tahini dressing (recipe below)
4 tbsp crispy farro (recipe below)

Method:

1. Combine all ingredients, except for farro, in a large stainless steel mixing bowl.
2. Toss gently to combine, using your hands to ensure the ingredients are well distributed throughout the mixture. Taste a small amount and adjust seasoning with salt if necessary.
3. Transfer mixture to a serving dish or platter and garnish with crispy farro.

Carrot Escabeche

Ingredients:

160g olive oil
30g salt
325g shallot, sliced with the grain
1400g carrots, sliced thinly on mandoline
3 jalepeno peppers, cut into 6 pieces
300ml white wine
700ml white wine vinegar
1 rosemary sprig
1 small bunch fresh thyme
4 fresh bay leaves

Method:

1. In a large rondeau, heat olive oil over medium heat until hot but not smoking.
2. Add herbs, carrots, shallots, and salt.
3. Stir thoroughly.
4. Add white wine, and white wine vinegar, bring mixture to a boil, and remove from heat and cool immediately in a shallow hotel pan.

Tahini Dressing

Ingredients:

100g tahini
65g white wine vinegar
60g water
10g sesame oil
55g canola oil
10g salt

Method:

1. Combine all ingredients in a container.
2. Blend with immersion blender until homogenous.
3. Taste and reserve.
4. Agitate well before use.

Crispy Farro

Ingredients:

200g farro
10g salt
3L water

Method:

1. Bring water and salt to a simmer.
2. Add farro and simmer on low for approximately 12 minutes, or until partially cooked.
3. Drain farro well, and spread onto a parchment paper lined tray in a single layer.
4. Dehydrate at room temperature overnight.
5. Preheat oven to 400F, transfer tray of farro to middle rack of oven, and cook until crispy and golden brown. Check often!
6. Transfer to a mixing bowl when cooled, season with olive oil and a pinch of salt and pepper to taste.

Serves: 2-3

Ingredients:

6oz brussel sprouts, halved
20g concord grapes, pickled
20g canola oil
10g parsley leaves, whole
30g pine nuts, roasted and roughly blitzed
30g sherry vinegar

Method:

1. Preheat the oven to 450°F.
2. Heat a pan and place brussels face down, season with salt. Then add a thin layer of oil. This will prevent oil splatter from sprouts.
3. Once you see light golden brown, place in oven.
4. Cook until the stem is tender. You are trying to achieve a dark golden brown colour.
5. Wilt parsley, strain excess oil and transfer to a stainless steel bowl.
6. Add sherry vinegar and grapes to the bowl, toss to combine.
7. Place on an oval plate and garnish with pine nuts.

Pickled Concord Grapes

Ingredients:

300g white wine vinegar
200g water
100g sugar
1g bay leaves
10g black peppercorns, toasted
5g coriander seeds
10g salt

Method:

1. Place all ingredients into a pot and bring it up to a boil
2. Transfer pickling liquid into a heat proof container and chill on ice immediately
3. Once cool strain spices and aromatics.
4. Cover concord grapes with cooled pickling liquid for minimum 12 hours before using.