Cutrara's Kitchen Cooking Socials

Recipe of the month:

Shrimp & king oyster mushroom carpaccio with a lemon caper dressing

6 King oyster mushrooms
1 cup pea tendrils bottom 2 inches removed
18 black tiger shrimp (21-25’s) peeled to the tails only, deveined and butterflied

Caper Dressing:

2 tbsp Capers finely minced
2 tbsp Soya
2 tbsp Lemon juice
⅓ cup extra virgin olive oil

mushrooms:

Bring 1 liter of water with 1 tsp of sea salt to a boil. Poach the mushrooms whole gently for 25 minutes. Remove the mushrooms from the water & let cool to room temperature. Place each mushroom onto a cutting board & with a thin bladed knife, slice starting with the base of the mushroom into very thin coins just slightly on the bias.

dressing:

Place all the ingredients into a bowl whisk to blend. Set aside.

shrimp:

Bring 1 liter of water with 1 tbsp of sea salt to a boil. Add the shrimp & cook for a minute or so or until the centers of the shrimp just become opaque without over cooking. Drain immediately.

assembly:

Fan the mushrooms out around the inside of each plate forming a 5” circle. Place 3 shrimp in the center of the mushroom circle tails facing up. Scatter the pea tendrils around the outer circle of mushrooms then drizzle with the caper dressing.

Recipe of the month:
Roast pork belly with apple in coconut milk

pork:

3lb pork belly b***d rind on
3 tbsp chinese 5 spice powder
15 small bay leaves
¼ cup brown sugar
1 tbsp sea salt

apple compote:

1 oz unsalted butter
⅓ cup sugar
3 grannysmith apples peeled & cut into a ½” dice
½ cup dried black currents
½ cup cassis or port wine
½ cup coconut milk

pork:

Preheat your oven to 250 degrees.
Make ½” deep incisions through the rind in ½” intervals widthwise across the pork to allow the flavours to pe*****te into the meat. Lightly oil the entire surface of the pork with sunflower oil to help adhere the spice mixture. Rub the spice over the top & bottom of the pork pushing the spice into the slits. Sprinkle the sugar over the top and bottom in the same manner then place the bay leaves into the slits & pressing to the bottom of the pork. Place rind side up onto a metal rack with a baking sheet underneath. Roast in the oven for 3-31/2hrs or until the core temperature at the center of the roast reaches 160 degrees. Remove and let rest for 30 minutes before slicing.

apple compote:

Heat a frying pan on medium high heat for 3 minutes. Add the sugar & butter and cook for 1 minute swirling to moisten the sugar. Add the apple & toss. Cook for 6-7 minutes to soften the apple. Add the currents & the cassis. Reduce right down until the apple absorbs all the liquid now add the coconut milk & reduce until dry also.

assembly:

Slice the pork widthwise cutting through the slits representing each portion. Place onto each plate & add a spoon of the apple compote. Garnish & serve.

Recipe of the month:

Rabbit Braised with Leek Mustard & Cream

1 rabbit cut into pieces
3 oz sweet pancetta cut into 1”x ¼” batons
1 leek cut into ½” slices
1 large tomato seeds removed & cut into a ½” dice
1 fresh bay leaf
2 oz dry white wine
½ cup water
1 tbsp pommery mustard
2 oz 35% cream
4 sprigs italian parsley roughly chopped

Remove the stem end of the leek along with the top 6” & discard. Slice into half lengthwise & remove 2 of the outer sheaths, discard. Cut the 2 halves into ½” slices, wash & drain. Set aside.

Heat a heavy sauce pot on high heat for 3 minutes. Add the pancetta & cook until golden brown for approximately 4 minutes. Remove with a slotted spoon & hold. Season the rabbit pieces with salt & pepper. Add the pieces to the pan & cook in the rendered fat from the pancetta. Cook the pieces until golden brown on both sides.

Remove the rabbit from the pan & hold. Add the leeks & tomato & cook for a few minutes. Add the wine & cook until dissipated. Add the rabbit pieces back to the pan along with the bay leaf & water. Bring to a boil then cover & simmer gently for 1 hour. Add the mustard and cream, toss & cook a further 10 minutes. Add the parsley & serve.

Warmest Mother’s Day wishes to all the wonderful ladies we call Mom.

Happy Easter from my kitchen to yours.

Recipe of the month:
Grilled Quail with Figs

6 quail
1 lemon (juice of)
1 tsp oregano dried
1 sprig rosemary stem removed needles roughly chopped
½ tsp black pepper
2 oz extra virgin olive oil
12 fresh figs cut in half
4 escarole endive leaves

Cut out the quails back bone using a pair of scissors and discard ( this helps in two ways, for better marinade pe*******on and will aid in more even cooking). Place the quails into a bowl along with the oregano, rosemary, pepper and olive oil. Toss and let stand for 1 hour.
Preheat your BBQ to 500 degrees.
Place the figs into a bowl and drizzle with just enough olive oil to lightly coat. Toss and set aside.
Skewer three quails at a time with 1’ long metal skewers by placing one through the breasts and another through the thighs. This helps to secure while cooking. Sprinkle both sides with sea salt and place onto the grill. Reduce the heat to medium of approximately 400 degrees. Grill for 3-4 minutes or until lightly golden, turn over and cook the other side for another 4 minutes. Remove the quails from the skewers and hold on a plate. Heat a grill tray for a minute in the BBQ. Add the figs cut side down and grill for 2 minutes only. Remove the tray.
assembly:
Line the bottom of a serving tray with the escarole leaves. Place the quails on top and drop the figs and some lemon wedges over and around the birds.