Burrata, Balsamic Roasted Treviso and Fresh Pear

By Giovanna Eusebi of Eusebi Deli in Glasgow

My mum Gina is an ordinary woman with an extraordinary life. Born in December 1942 in the small village of Castelforte in Southern Italy, her path took her from the idyllic Mediterranean village to San Paolo, Lyon and then finally to Glasgow. Food and family were the most important things in her life. Growing up in Italy, good ingredients were available to her throughout the seasons. Breakfast was fresh figs, grapes, and cactus fruit picked from the tree in her garden. If she wanted salad leaves, she stepped outside to cut chicory or dandelion greens. Nature reminded her that no two days were the same and to take each day as it comes.

The two biggest factors that influence my cooking are my family’s roots and the seasons. Traditional dishes speak to my heart and fill me with warmth. Knowing these recipes have been enjoyed by previous generations and they have brought happiness to my extended family and friends makes the food even more special. There is nothing better than having your loved ones around a table, all sharing something that you have taken time and effort to prepare. It doesn’t have to be difficult or be full of lavish ingredients; it just needs to be made with love.

It is no coincidence that the sign above our door reads ‘Food, Family, Life, Passion’. It is a tribute to our extended family all over the world and factors that bring us together – great food, wine, cooking, laughter and love.

For more information about Eusebi Deli, visit http://eusebideli.com/.

Serves 4

Ingredients:

4 burrata, at room temperature

1 small treviso or chicory, quartered lengthways

50ml balsamic vinegar

25ml extra virgin olive oil, plus extra for serving

2 sprigs of rosemary, stalk removed and finely chopped

½ garlic clove, crushed

1 ripe medium pear, shaved with a vegetable peeler

Salt and pepper

Method:

1. First, prepare the treviso. Preheat the oven to 180°C and place the treviso on a baking tray and drizzle with the balsamic, olive oil, garlic, rosemary and seasoning. Roast in the oven for 12 to 15 minutes or until the treviso is tender and caramelised. Reserve the cooking juice and set aside to cool.

2. To assemble the dish, place one piece of treviso on each plate and then follow with the burrata. Garnish with a quarter of the shaved pear and drizzle with reserved cooking juices. Finish with a little extra virgin olive and seasoning.

Pumpkin Dumplings with Sage & Almond Butter

By Carina Contini

“Gnocchi, or dumplings, are so easy to make. One of my favourite childhood memories was when we’d get the phone call on a Saturday that Nonna was making gnocchi and would we like to go.

This recipe is the next generation variation. Dumplings are made with pumpkin or squash and served with a light butter and sage sauce.

Gnocchi are a great thing to get you stuck into cooking and cooking together is always so much more fun. Rolling out the dough and cutting it is something the youngest of the family can get involved in. So if the family want to cook a treat for me this Mother’s Day, this is one recipe they can’t get wrong.” – Carina Contini

Carina Contini is Owner of Contini George Street, Edinburgh; Cannonball Restaurant & Bar, Castlehill, Edinburgh; and The Scottish Cafe & Restaurant - located at the gardens entrance of the Scottish National Gallery, Edinburgh.

Cannonball Restaurant & Bar and Contini George Street in Edinburgh are both open for Mother’s Day lunch and dinner bookings. Castle view tables are available at Cannonball. Book ahead and receive a complimentary Mother’s Day cocktail. Visit www.contini.com or call 0131 225 1550. Quote “Mother’s Day”.

SERVES 4

Ingredients

For the pumpkin dumplings:

500g pumpkin (prepared weight) peeled and deseeded

2–3 tbsp extra virgin olive oil, for drizzling

Salt and freshly ground black pepper

500g floury potatoes

500g plain flour, plus extra for dusting

1 egg yolk

For the sage and almond butter:

100g whole blanched almonds

Sprinkle of granulated sugar

125g unsalted butter

4 sage leaves

Salt

Method

1. Preheat the oven to 180°C/350°F/Gas 4. Cut the pumpkin into small pieces and place on a roasting tray. Drizzle with some of the olive oil and add a generous pinch of salt and pepper. Bake in the preheated oven for about 30 minutes until the pumpkin is soft.

2. Meanwhile, line a baking tray with greaseproof paper. Peel and cut the potatoes into quarters and put them in a pan with salt and cold water to cover. Bring to the boil, then lower the heat and simmer until tender.

3. Whilst the potatoes are boiling and the pumpkin is roasting, prepare the sage and almond butter. Put the almonds in a dry non-stick pan and toast over a medium heat until golden. When they start to colour, add the granulated sugar and cook until the sugar has crystallised. Remove from the heat and leave to cool. Once cold, crush with a pestle and mortar or in a food processor. Melt the butter in a small pan and add the sage leaves. When they start to bubble, season with salt. Add the crushed almonds and warm through.

4. Once the potatoes are tender, drain and mash, then leave in the pan, covered, with a clean tea towel under the lid to help absorb any steam.

5. Pass the cooked pumpkin through a mouli or mash it until smooth. Transfer the mashed potatoes and pumpkin to a floured surface. Mix together well with your hands. Having the mixture warm will help to keep the dumplings light but be careful not to burn your hands.

6. Create a well in the centre of the mixture and add the egg yolk and flour, working quickly to keep the mixture as light as possible. Gently knead the mixture together to form a dough. Add a little more flour if necessary. Roll the mixture out to a thickness of about 1cm. Cut into 2.5cm strips and gently roll these into long, smooth sausage shapes. Cut into small cubes using a sharp knife. To add texture, press the back of a fork on top of each cube and quickly move the fork back to make the dumpling curl. This takes a little skill and time but the end result is worth it.

7. Place the dumplings on the prepared baking tray. This way you won’t need to add more flour and the dumplings won’t go mushy or chalky when cooked.

8. To cook, bring a large pot of salted water to the boil. Lift the greaseproof paper and dumplings off the tray and immerse the whole lot in the boiling water. The dumplings will be released from the paper. Remove the paper and bring the dumplings to the boil. Once they rise to the surface of the water, reduce the heat and simmer for 2 minutes. Drain and toss in the sage and almond butter and serve.

Seared Gurnard with Wild Garlic and White Wine Sauce

By Jerome Henry of Le Roi Fou in Edinburgh

My Mother is a keen chef. She is from Haute-Savoie in France and growing up in the countryside, farming and foraging were her way of life. She will never pass by a field of Dandelions, wild berries or wild garlic without stopping and pulling out a pocketknife to gather the fresh plants or fruits. I spent my whole childhood eating freshly picked wild herbs in our lunches that she would prepare for us - it was always delicious.

Growing up in Geneva, we were lucky to have a garden where Mom would grow all of our own produce. We enjoyed it fresh, throughout the summer months but we also saved enough for the winter so that we could enjoy the vegetables all year round. We spent most of our family holidays in our house near the sea in the South of France where we would eat freshly caught fish, quickly seared to make the most of the incredible flavour.

Wild garlic, or ‘ail de l’ours’ as we call it in French, is a magical plant that brings sunshine into food after a long dark winter. I always see it as a sign of spring arriving when we can start to find wild leaves in the nearby countryside. This dish is dedicated to my Mom as it reminds me of joyous memories with her, eating fresh fish and picking wild herbs.

For more information about Le Roi Fou, visit https://leroifou.com/.

Serves 4

Ingredients:

8 gurnard fillets

Olive oil, for frying

Salt and pepper

For the fish stock:

500g fish bones and trimmings

100g white mirepoix (equal parts onion, white of leeks, celeriac and dill, diced)

50g mushrooms, diced

1l water

1 lemon, juice only

Salt and pepper

For the sauce:

100ml dry white wine

100ml double cream

1 small shallot, finely chopped

250ml fish stock

1 tbsp Noilly Prat

Salt and freshly ground pepper

12 wild garlic leaves, cut into fine strips

To serve:

Wild garlic leaves

Spring greens

New potatoes, steamed

1. First, make the fish stock. Thoroughly wash the fish bones and trimmings. Sweat the mirepoix and mushrooms in a pot over a medium heat for 5 minutes. Add the fish bones and trimmings and the water. Bring to a boil and simmer for 20 minutes, skimming the stock occasionally, then strain it through a fine sieve. Return the stock to the pot and reduce the liquid by half. Season with salt, pepper and lemon juice and then set the pot aside.

2. Next, make the sauce. Place the white wine and shallots in a pan and cook until the liquid reduces by half. Add the fish stock and reduce again. Add the cream and simmer for 2 to 3 minutes. Strain the sauce through a fine sieve. Just before serving, add the wild garlic and Noilly Prat and season to taste.

3. Next, prepare the fish. Season the gurnard fillets and then heat a non-stick pan on a medium heat. Drizzle a tablespoon of olive oil in the pan and sear the fish fillet, skin down. Gently shake the pan to make sure the fish is not sticking. Cook the fish until the skin is golden and crispy. The flesh on the top side should be almost cooked through. At the last moment, turn the fish over and cook for a few seconds on the flesh side.

4. To serve, spoon the hot sauce onto four warmed plates and place the gurnard in the centre of the sauce and garnish with wild garlic leaves. Serve the fish with some steamed new potatoes and spring greens.

Herb Crusted Rack of Lamb with Dauphinoise Potatoes, Tomato Puree and Broad Beans

By Paul Hart, Executive Sous Chef at Gleneagles

This recipe is my favourite dish to celebrate Mother’s Day and what we look forward to every year to mark the occasion. It’s the perfect way to enjoy a special dinner but without having to spend hours in the kitchen. The ingredients are a signal to me that spring is on the horizon with the fresh and delicious flavours of lamb, tomatoes and broad beans. Using soft herbs to create the crust takes it to the next level for a Sunday roast and there is a lovely touch of indulgence with the cream and butter in the dauphinoise potatoes.

In our house, we like to get the children involved by peeling the potatoes and shelling the beans. This means that they feel included in the cooking and that they’re also getting to help prepare the special meal for Mum. Many of the elements of the dish can be prepared in advance such as the herb crust, dauphinoise potatoes and tomato puree so it makes cooking on the day super quick and simple.

For more information about the Gleneagles, visit https://www.gleneagles.com/ or call the reservations team on 01764 694270.

Serves 4

Ingredients:

For the lamb:

2 x 6 bone racks of lamb, French trimmed

4 slices of bread, crusts removed and blended into a crumb

25ml Scottish rapeseed oil

5g thyme leaves, chopped

5g parsley, stalks removed and finely chopped

50g Parmesan, finely grated

20g Dijon mustard

Salt and pepper

For the dauphinoise potatoes:

1kg waxy potatoes, peeled and sliced thinly

300ml full fat milk

300ml double cream

4 cloves of garlic, peeled and crushed

5 sprigs of thyme

Salt and pepper

For the roasted tomato sauce:

400g cherry tomatoes

20ml red wine vinegar

20g caster sugar

25ml olive oil

1 garlic clove, peeled and crushed

Salt and pepper

For the broad beans:

400g frozen broad beans

60g butter

100ml water

2g mint leaves, finely chopped

Salt and pepper

Method:

1. First, prepare the lamb. Season the meat with salt and pepper and add the lamb to a cold frying pan. Place the pan on the hob and set to a low to medium heat. As the pan warms it will slowly melt the fat. Let the lamb slowly cook on the fat side until you get a nice golden colour and a crispy piece of fat. Turn the heat up a little and sear the other side of the lamb so that it is coloured all over. Take the lamb out the pan and transfer to a roasting tray, ready for cooking.

2. In a frying pan, heat the oil and add the breadcrumb. Stir everything together to coat the crumb in oil and season with salt and pepper. Fry the crumbs until golden and crispy. Take the pan off the heat and leave to cool before adding the herbs and Parmesan. Brush the lamb on the fat covered side with Dijon mustard then coat in the herb crumbs.

3. Next, prepare the dauphinoise potatoes. Toss the potato slices in a bowl with a sprinkling of salt. Add the cream, milk, garlic and thyme to a large pan and bring up to a boil, turn off the heat and leave to infuse for around 10 minutes. Squeeze the potatoes to remove any excess water, rinse the bowl and return the potatoes. Pour the cream mixture through a sieve onto the potatoes and season as required. Line a deep baking tray with greaseproof paper and place the potatoes into the baking tray in layers so you get a uniform depth, pouring some of the cream between each of the layers. Cover with greaseproof paper and tin foil and bake in the oven at 150°C for around 45 to 60 minutes. You will be able to tell the potatoes are cooked by inserting a skewer into the middle, if there is no resistance they are ready.

4. Next, make the roasted tomato sauce. Cut the tomatoes in half and toss in a bowl with all the other ingredients. Place into a baking dish and roast in the oven at 180°C for around 15 to 20 minutes until the tomatoes slightly blacken around the edges. Place everything into a blender and puree to a smooth sauce. Season as required.

5. Next, prepare the broad beans. Let the broad beans defrost then squeeze the beans out of the pod. Add the butter and water into a small pan and bring to the boil. Add the beans and cook on a high heat for 5 minutes or until the water has evaporated and they are coated in butter. Add the seasoning and the chopped mint and stir well to combine everything together.

6. To cook the lamb, preheat the oven to 180°C. Cook the lamb for 15 to 20 minutes depending on how pink you like it. Once cooked, remove from the oven and just cover with foil. Leave to rest for 5 minutes before carving into cutlets.

7. To serve, cut a disk of the dauphinoise potatoes and top with the lamb cutlets. Add the broad beans and the tomato puree to the plate and serve.

The Shepherd’s Delight

Misty Isle Gin’s signature cocktail

Isle of Skye Distillers is the first gin and vodka distillery on the Isle of Skye. Launched in February 2017 by brothers Alistair and Thomas Wilson, Misty Isle Gin is hand-crafted in small batches using crystal clear waters drawn from the Storr Lochs, just three miles from the distillery. Misty Isle Gin features a precise balance of 11 botanicals, including hand-foraged juniper berries, coriander, grains of paradise, orris root, liquorice root, black cubebs, lemon peel, cassia bark, and one secret ingredient which can only be found at high altitude on Skye. The result is a gin which is juniper heavy, not too floral, with earthy undertones, a hint of spice and subtle flavours of citrus.

Alistair and Thomas recommend serving Misty Isle Gin with a Scottish tonic water, and garnished with a twist of fresh orange peel – or why not try Misty Isle Gin’s signature cocktail, inspired by the red evening skies on Skye…

For more information, visit www.isleofskyedistillers.com

Makes one cocktail.

Ingredients:

50ml Misty Isle Gin

25ml strawberry liqueur

12.5ml elderflower syrup

1 bottle of rose lemonade

Crushed ice

A slice of orange peel, to garnish

Method:

1. Fill a highball glass with crushed ice.

2. Fill a Boston shaker with cubed ice and add the Misty Isle Gin, the strawberry liqueur and the elderflower syrup.

3. Shake, then single-strain into the glass, over the crushed ice.

4. Top the glass up with rose lemonade.

5. Garnish with a slice of orange peel and a paper straw, and serve.