We hope you enjoy your very own taste of Italy. Dan, Candice and Nick - your Vacherin chef team - have shared their favourite recipes so that you can enjoy a well-earned treat at home.
Buon Appetito!
LIMONCELLO GRANITA
Makes: 2 generous portions
Ingredients
350ml Stock syrup
125ml lemoncello
2 lemons (juiced)
Method
1. Combine sugar syrup, juice of 2 lemons and limoncello.
2. Pour into a wide shallow dish and freeze for 1 hour until ice crystals start to form. Remove from the freezer and scrape the frozen bits back into the mixture.
3. Return to the freezer and repeat every 30 minutes or so until the granita is frozen, with a fluffy, crystalline texture. If you forget about it, don’t worry (blame the wine) you can smash it with a rolling pin or put it in a food processor and make a slushie. (happy days)
4. Spoon into dishes and serve straight away.
ASPARAGUS RISOTTO
Makes: 2 generous portions
Ingredients
Risotto
300g Carnaroli rice (Acquerello)
30g unsalted butter to start
1 onion chopped very fine
splash of your white wine (don’t be greedy!)
1 litre vegetable or chicken stock
1/2 bunch asparagus (keep some tips for garnish)
100g fresh peas
4 baby courgettes
60g salted butter to finish
60g grated Parmesan plus more for the table
Salt to season
Garnish
Asparagus tips
Parmesan
Preserved lemon
Method
1. In a wide pan heat the 30g of butter, add the onion and lightly fry until transparent- do not let it colour.
2. Add the rice and stir until the grains become transparent- about a minute. Add the wine and keep cooking until it has completely evaporated. Add a ladle or two of boiling stock to cover the rice, add the asparagus trimmings and simmer and stir until the liquid is almost entirely incorporated. Be gentle and stir over a medium heat to keep the grains creamy not mushy (this will give you a velvety texture)
3. Add couple of pinches of salt and keep adding the boiling stock a little at a time until almost cooked – about 20 minutes, depending how ‘al dente’ you like it.
4. At the 18 minute stage add your vegetables (with the asparagus tips for garnish just drop into boiling water for 10 seconds (you can cheat and use the kettle and a bowl)
5. At 20 minutes remove from heat and stir in the butter and Parmesan adding a little salt to adjust seasoning.
6. Rest for 3-4 minutes with lid on before serving top with the asparagus tips, preserved lemon and herbs
ALLERGENS: Milk
CHOCOLATE TIRAMISU
Makes: 2 generous portions
Ingredients
Chocolate
150g dark chocolate (72% per cent cocoa solids),
50ml Just-boiled water
1 tsp vanilla extract
65ml whipping cream
Layer
100g mascarpone
30ml whipping cream
Coffee + Vanilla syrup
2 shots of coffee
20g caster sugar
20ml hot water
Coffee patron
Pavisini
Method
1. Melt the chocolate in a microwave or bowl over a pan of simmering water. Take off heat and add the hot water to the chocolate & vanilla extract. The water must be added slowly. The chocolate will look grainy; keep mixing until a smooth texture is reached. Add the cream then the coffee mix. Pour into your chosen vessel, chill slightly to set.
2. Whisk mascarpone to loosen it up
3. Soak the pavisini in the coffee mixture (not for long as they disintegrate)
4. Now layer your goodies the soaked pavisini on top of the chocolate and then cover with mascarpone and shave the top with some of the remaining chocolate
ALLERGENS: Milk, wheat, eggs
Serve with
Soave Classico, Balestri Valda, Veneto, Italy 2018
Vino Nobile de Montepulciano Riserva, Crociani, Tuscany, Italy 2015