From Episode 97: Adriana's Menu

Salad of Baby Spinach, Crispy Bacon and Cheese Croutons

Serves 4

Ingredients:

1/2 14.5-ounce/411-g loaf crusty sourdough bread
2 ounces/55 g butter
1 ounce/30 g sharp cheddar cheese or dry Monterey Jack cheese, finely shredded
3 tablespoons/45 ml red wine vinegar
6 tablespoons/90 ml grape seed oil
1 tablespoon/about 2.5 g roughly chopped fresh flat leaf parsley
Salt and freshly ground black pepper
8 cups/160 g fresh baby spinach, washed and stems removed
8 slices bacon
12 cherry tomatoes, halved

Method:

To prepare the cheese croutons:

Preheat the oven to 400°F/205°C. Using a serrated bread knife, remove the crusts from the sourdough bread then tear or cut the bread into 1-inch/2.5-cm pieces.

Place the bread pieces on a baking sheet. Toast the bread in the oven for 8 minutes or until it is dry and crisp, stirring the bread pieces halfway through baking to ensure they cook evenly.

Melt the butter in a heavy based large sauté pan over a medium heat. Add the croutons and toss to coat with the butter. Arrange the butter-coated croutons closely together but in a single layer on the same baking sheet.

Sprinkle the cheese generously over the croutons and return to the oven for about 5 minutes or until the cheese has melted and the croutons are golden. Remove the croutons from the oven and set aside until cool.

To prepare the vinaigrette dressing:

Place the vinegar in a medium sized bowl.  Slowly add the oil whilst constantly whisking to blend. Whisk in the parsley. Season the vinaigrette to taste with salt and pepper.

To prepare the crispy bacon and serve the salad:

Preheat a grill pan or griddle over moderate heat and grill the bacon about 3 to 5 minutes on each side or until nice and crisp. Transfer the bacon to paper towels.

Meanwhile, toss the baby spinach leaves in a large bowl with enough vinaigrette to coat. Season the salad to taste with salt and pepper. Divide the salad among 4 serving plates.  Place the bacon over the salads. Garnish the salads with the cherry tomatoes and croutons, and serve.

Garlic and Parsley Marinated Cornish Game Hens with Fresh Tarragon Fettuccine

Serves 4

Ingredients:

For the hens:
3 tablespoons/45 ml extra virgin olive oil
2 tablespoons/about 5 g roughly chopped fresh flat leaf parsley
2 large garlic cloves, roughly chopped
2 Cornish game hens (each about 1 1/2 pounds/700 g), halved lengthwise, backbone removed
Salt and freshly ground black pepper

For the tarragon fettuccine:
8 ounces/225 g fresh fettuccine
2 tablespoons/30 g unsalted butter
2 tablespoons/about 5 g roughly chopped fresh tarragon leaves
Salt and freshly ground black pepper
4 lemon wedges
Additional extra virgin olive oil

Method:

To prepare the Cornish hens:

Stir 3 tablespoons/45 ml of oil with the parsley and garlic in 13x9-inch/33x23-cm casserole dish to blend. Place hens in the casserole dish and sprinkle generously with salt and pepper. Massage the marinade all over the hens. Cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate for 2 hours.

Preheat the oven to 350°F/180°C. Preheat a grill pan or griddle pan over a moderate heat. Grill hens skin side down for 10 minutes or until the skin is golden and crisp.

Turn the game hens over and cook for a further 10 minutes or until the hens are almost cooked through and golden brown on the bottom. Transfer the hens skin side up to a baking sheet and bake in the oven for about 5 minutes or until they are cooked through but still moist and juicy.

Meanwhile, to make the tarragon fettuccine:

Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil over high heat. Add the fettuccine and cook until tender but still firm to the bite, stirring often to prevent the pasta from sticking together, about 4 minutes. Drain, reserving 1/4 cup/55 ml of the cooking water.

In a large sauté pan over a medium heat, stir the butter and the reserved cooking water until the butter melts. Add the fettuccine with the tarragon and toss to coat. Season the fettuccine with salt and pepper.

To serve:

Using a two-pronged carving fork, swirl some of the pasta around the fork. Slide the pasta off the fork and mound it in the center of a plate. Repeat for each serving. Place the hens atop the fettuccine. Serve with a wedge of lemon and a drizzle of extra virgin olive oil.

Peppermint Crisp Ice Cream

Makes about 1 quart/1 liter

Ingredients:

1 quart/946 ml vanilla ice cream
2 tablespoons/30 ml green crème de menthe
6 ounces/170 g dark chocolate bark with peppermint candies, chopped
Fresh mint sprigs, for garnish

Method:

Remove the ice cream from freezer and allow it to soften at room temperature for approximately 30 minutes or until it is semi-soft (do not allow the ice cream to melt). Place the ice cream in a large bowl. Add the crème de menthe and stir to blend.

Stir in the chocolate peppermint bark. Return the ice cream to its original container, placing any extra ice cream in another small container, if necessary.

Freeze the ice cream until it is slightly firm again, about 2 hours. Once the ice cream is firm place a few scoops into each individual serving bowl. To help release the ice cream easily from the ice cream scoop, dip the ice cream scoop into a bowl of hot water before each scoop. Garnish with mint sprigs and serve immediately.