stock.
When the risotto is looking a lovely, pale ivory color, is sloppily pourable and the rice is starting to become tender and
not
chalky in the middle (eat the odd grain as you go, to check), remove from the heat and quickly stir in 2 tablespoons of cheese and the remaining butter. Cover and leave to settle for 5 minutes. Now, check for seasoning and vigorously beat the rice together with a wooden spoon until slick and glossy; it should easily fall back on itself when lifted. Spoon on to hot plates and hand around extra Parmesan at table.
Parmesan biscuits
makes about 25–30 bicuits
7 tbsp cold unsalted butter, cut into chunks
1 1 / 3 cups all-purpose flour
pinch of salt and cayenne pepper
½ heaped tsp mustard powder
2 oz finely grated mature Cheddar
2 oz finely grated Parmesan, plus a little extra
1 egg, beaten
Those who have come across me before will know that this is a second outing for these delectable cheese biscuits. However, they are so very good that I felt the need to force them on you once again, here. My eternal thanks go to my friend Rachel Cooke, who first showed me how to make them. Ta ever so, Cooky.
Preheat the oven to 350°F.
Place the butter and flour in the bowl of a food processor, together with the salt, cayenne, mustard and cheeses. Process together, to begin with, and then, finally, pulse the mixture in short spurts as you notice the mixture coming together—as pastry, if you like. Once the texture is clearly “clumpy,” tip out on to a lightly floured surface and deftly, but thoroughly, knead it together until well blended and smooth. Wrap in plastic wrap and chill in the fridge for at least 30 minutes.
Lightly flour a work surface and gently roll out the pastry to about 1 / 10 in thick. Cut out the biscuits to the size and shape you wish for—anything between 1½ in and 2 in, depending on the occasion. Lay them out on a greased baking tray about ¾ in apart; it may take two lots of baking to use up the entire mixture. Carefully brush the surface of each biscuit with the egg and sprinkle over a little finely grated Parmesan. Bake in the oven for 10 minutes, or until a gorgeous golden color is achieved; the superb smell will also inform you that they are ready. Carefully lift off the tray using a palette knife and place on a rack to cool. Although the biscuits will keep well in a sealed container for a few days, I have never known this to happen.
Roquefort, pear & chicory salad with walnut oil
serves 2
2–3 heads of chicory, separated into leaves and put to soak in iced water
1 large, ripe pear, peeled and thinly sliced
4 oz Roquefort, crumbled
a squeeze of lemon juice
2–3 tbsp walnut oil
freshly ground black pepper
Of all blue cheeses, Roquefort will always remain my favorite. I will take a small slice of Stilton—or even better, Stichelton—at Christmas, or maybe a thick wedge of sweetly savory Fourme d’Ambert when in a good French restaurant. And I am very fond of a fine and creamy Gorgonzola or Dolcelatte, from time to time. But Roquefort, the king of blue cheeses, takes the biscuit.
Anyway, here is a very fine, very simple salad: all at once fresh, crisp, salty, sweet and fragrantly oily—and just perfect when using Roquefort that is cool and crumbly. Use either the red-leafed or traditional white chicory, here.
Dry the chicory leaves (a spinner is best, here) and neatly arrange on a serving dish, inner curved sides uppermost. Evenly distribute the pear in and among the leaves, crumble over the cheese and squeeze over a touch of lemon juice. Trickle over the walnut oil and grind over the pepper. Serve forthwith.
Roquefort tart
serves 6, as a first course
pastry (see page 170 )
2 tbsp butter
9 oz leeks, well trimmed, sliced, washed and drained
2 egg yolks
2 eggs
5 oz double or heavy cream
4 oz sour cream
small bunch of chives, finely chopped
a little salt and plenty of freshly ground black pepper
freshly grated nutmeg
9 oz Roquefort, cut into
When the risotto is looking a lovely, pale ivory color, is sloppily pourable and the rice is starting to become tender and
not
chalky in the middle (eat the odd grain as you go, to check), remove from the heat and quickly stir in 2 tablespoons of cheese and the remaining butter. Cover and leave to settle for 5 minutes. Now, check for seasoning and vigorously beat the rice together with a wooden spoon until slick and glossy; it should easily fall back on itself when lifted. Spoon on to hot plates and hand around extra Parmesan at table.
Parmesan biscuits
makes about 25–30 bicuits
7 tbsp cold unsalted butter, cut into chunks
1 1 / 3 cups all-purpose flour
pinch of salt and cayenne pepper
½ heaped tsp mustard powder
2 oz finely grated mature Cheddar
2 oz finely grated Parmesan, plus a little extra
1 egg, beaten
Those who have come across me before will know that this is a second outing for these delectable cheese biscuits. However, they are so very good that I felt the need to force them on you once again, here. My eternal thanks go to my friend Rachel Cooke, who first showed me how to make them. Ta ever so, Cooky.
Preheat the oven to 350°F.
Place the butter and flour in the bowl of a food processor, together with the salt, cayenne, mustard and cheeses. Process together, to begin with, and then, finally, pulse the mixture in short spurts as you notice the mixture coming together—as pastry, if you like. Once the texture is clearly “clumpy,” tip out on to a lightly floured surface and deftly, but thoroughly, knead it together until well blended and smooth. Wrap in plastic wrap and chill in the fridge for at least 30 minutes.
Lightly flour a work surface and gently roll out the pastry to about 1 / 10 in thick. Cut out the biscuits to the size and shape you wish for—anything between 1½ in and 2 in, depending on the occasion. Lay them out on a greased baking tray about ¾ in apart; it may take two lots of baking to use up the entire mixture. Carefully brush the surface of each biscuit with the egg and sprinkle over a little finely grated Parmesan. Bake in the oven for 10 minutes, or until a gorgeous golden color is achieved; the superb smell will also inform you that they are ready. Carefully lift off the tray using a palette knife and place on a rack to cool. Although the biscuits will keep well in a sealed container for a few days, I have never known this to happen.
Roquefort, pear & chicory salad with walnut oil
serves 2
2–3 heads of chicory, separated into leaves and put to soak in iced water
1 large, ripe pear, peeled and thinly sliced
4 oz Roquefort, crumbled
a squeeze of lemon juice
2–3 tbsp walnut oil
freshly ground black pepper
Of all blue cheeses, Roquefort will always remain my favorite. I will take a small slice of Stilton—or even better, Stichelton—at Christmas, or maybe a thick wedge of sweetly savory Fourme d’Ambert when in a good French restaurant. And I am very fond of a fine and creamy Gorgonzola or Dolcelatte, from time to time. But Roquefort, the king of blue cheeses, takes the biscuit.
Anyway, here is a very fine, very simple salad: all at once fresh, crisp, salty, sweet and fragrantly oily—and just perfect when using Roquefort that is cool and crumbly. Use either the red-leafed or traditional white chicory, here.
Dry the chicory leaves (a spinner is best, here) and neatly arrange on a serving dish, inner curved sides uppermost. Evenly distribute the pear in and among the leaves, crumble over the cheese and squeeze over a touch of lemon juice. Trickle over the walnut oil and grind over the pepper. Serve forthwith.
Roquefort tart
serves 6, as a first course
pastry (see page 170 )
2 tbsp butter
9 oz leeks, well trimmed, sliced, washed and drained
2 egg yolks
2 eggs
5 oz double or heavy cream
4 oz sour cream
small bunch of chives, finely chopped
a little salt and plenty of freshly ground black pepper
freshly grated nutmeg
9 oz Roquefort, cut into
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