Leith's Stilton & Celery Soup: Simply The Best

When we lived in England in the 1970s, my favourite restaurant in London was Leith's in Notting Hill Gate, considered to be one of the top restaurants in the city at the time and a Michelin star to prove it. My favourite dish was Leith's Stilton Soup, an unbelievably silky smooth and creamy celery-based soup simmered with a big lump of Stilton cheese, puréed until smooth then pushed through a sieve for good measure. Prue Leith started out in 1960 as an event and party caterer with Leith's Good Food, followed by Leith's School of Food and Wine in 1975. In addition to being an accomplished food writer, television cook and columnist in her spare time! She also wrote a series of cookbooks that came out in 1980, an offshoot of her articles which appeared every weekend in the Sunday Express. Not only did I religiously collect those recipes, I am also the proud owner of her original three-volume set, Leith's Cookery Course: Beginner, Intermediate and Advanced. Apart from Graham Kerr - The Galloping Gourmet - Prue Leith was one of my early role models, and her cookbooks a culinary inspiration as I was growing up. Even to this day her writing continues to inspire me. Passionate about food, Prue Leith believed that food should be fresh and uncomplicated, prepared with only the finest ingredients to the highest of standards — and quite reflective of her motto, 'Simply Better' — just like her.

The always and forever fabulous Prue Leith

"I have always been addicted to cookbooks, tending to read them in bed in preference to novels or poetry. A lot of the books I accumulated when I was a food writer for, variously, the Daily Mail, Guardian, Sunday Express and Mirror, and subsequently I could not bare to part with them. I used the books in my collection as all writers do, for inspiration! I sometimes think there are no new recipes, only new versions of old ones. I once thought I had invented a Stilton Soup, because I went to Denmark, ate a Samsoe soup, thought 'This would be even better with Stilton', came home and made a celery soup heavily enriched with Stilton Cheese. It became famous in my restaurant, Leith's, and was copied by chefs all over London. And then one day, flipping through a 19th Century English cookbook I had just bought in Hay on Wye, I found a near-identical 'Derbyshire Cheese Soup' — So much for originality!"




Leith's Stilton Soup
Serves 4

1 medium onion, finely chopped
2 stalks of celery, finely chopped
2 oz butter
1 1/2 oz flour
1/3 cup dry white wine
4 cups chicken stock
1 cup light cream
1/2 lb stilton cheese, crumbled
Salt and freshly ground white pepper
1 tbsp chopped chives, for garnish


Soften the onion and celery in butter over low heat, about 8-10 minutes. Add the flour and cook for 1 minute. Remove from the heat and stir in the wine and stock. Return to the heat and bring slowly to the boil, stirring continuously until the soup thickens. Simmer uncovered for 25 minutes. Add the milk and simmer 2 minutes. Remove from the heat and whisk in the stilton until it has melted. Using a hand blender, liquidize the soup, then push it through a sieve, discarding all solids. Add the cream, and season with salt and white pepper. Gently reheat the soup, taking care not to let it boil or else it will curdle. Stilton Soup can also be served chilled, garnished with chopped chives.

Linguine all'Amatriciana with Guanciale & Pecorino

One of the most celebrated dishes in Italian cuisine, Pasta all'Amatriciana is named for the Abruzzese town of Amatrice, a tiny town in the Sabine Hills bordering Abruzzo about 100 miles from Rome, and considered by many Italians to be birthplace of the best cooks on the peninsula. Ever since Abbruzzese shepherds began the tradition of eating this spicy pasta after a day in the chilly mountain air, the cooking process has always begun with the rich smell of a fatty piece of pork bubbling in the pan that gives the simple pasta a luxurious depth. Tomatoes, sautéed garlic, olive oil and dried red chilli flakes complete the sauce, which is usually served over bucatini, a thick strand pasta with a hole in the centre, but other pastas such as spaghetti, rigatoni or linguine work just as well. The beauty of this culinary classic is that it's quick and easy to make, is enormously full flavoured and utterly gob-smackingly delicious.



Linguine all'Amatriciana
Serves 2 

2 tbsp olive oil
2 cloves garlic, minced
8 oz tomato passata (tomato purée)
4 oz finely chopped Guanciale, Pancetta or unsmoked bacon
1 tsp dried chilli flakes, to taste 
8 oz bucatini or fettuccine 
1/2 cup shaved Pecorino


Bring a large pot of lightly salted water to a boil. Add the pasta and cook for 8 to 10 minutes or until al dente, then drain. Heat the olive oil and cook garlic until softened, adding the finely chopped guanicale at the end. Then add the passata and dried chilli flakes and simmer over low heat to thicken the sauce slightly. Add the sauce to the cooked pasta and serve with grated Pecorino cheese.

Vine Ripened Caprese with Bocconcini & Basil

A colourful combination of red and yellow vine ripened tomatoes and fragrant homegrown basil tossed with olive oil and seasoned with Maldon salt and fresh ground white and black pepper have all of the signs of a classic Caprese, but tossed with a handful of bite size bocconcini, this simple summer salad becomes an easy dish to serve with a larger gathering.  



Vine Ripened Caprese with Bocconcini & Basil
Serves 4

1 1/2 cups mini Bocconcini
12-16 mixed vine ripened red and yellow tomatoes
Fresh basil, julienned for garnish
Olive Oil
Maldon sea salt and freshly ground pepper, to taste


Toss the bocconcini, tomatoes and some julienned basil in a large bowl and season with olive oil, sea salt and some fresh cracked black and white pepper. Serve in a decorative bowl and garnish with basil tops.

Chilled Poached Salmon with Homemade Mayonnaise

One of the most perfect summer dishes and in my mind the most elegant, is a succulent Poached Salmon garnished with sliced lemon, cucumber, fresh dill and served with a heaping bowl of homemade mayonnaise. Ideal for the hot days of summer, the salmon can be poached and decorated first thing in the morning and served later in the day with buttery new potatoes, steamed french green beans and a colourful tomato and basil salad with mini bocconcini. Whether you're entertaining a crowd or making a simple Sunday lunch, there’s nothing more easy, healthy, and delicious than a moist and flaky coral pink Poached Salmon, and enjoyed with a chilled Rosé or Côtes de Provence, this recipe is a gem.

Poached Salmon with Homemade Mayonnaise

Serves 4

2-3 lb organic Salmon filet

1/2 onion, chopped

2 bay leaves

2 tbsp white wine vinegar

1/2 lemon, quartered

sea salt and cracked black pepper

Garnish:

1 lemon, thinly sliced

1 Lebanese or English cucumber, thinly sliced

4-6 sprigs of fresh dill

Homemade Mayonnaise:

3 egg yolks, at room temperature

200 ml vegetable oil

100 ml light olive oil

1 tsp store-bought Mayonnaise

Juice of 1/2 lemon

1 tbsp white wine vinegar

Salt and fresh cracked black or white pepper 

Chopped chives, for garnish 

Whisk the mayonnaise and egg yolks in a small mixing bowl until combined. Pour both of the oils together in a cup and very slowly trickle them in a very slow thin stream over the egg yolks, whisking them constantly. Once the mayonnaise begins to thicken, the remaining oils can be added gradually until the mixture thickens and emulsifies. Then add the lemon juice and white wine wine vinegar, and season to taste with salt and fresh pepper. Cover and chill until ready to use. 

Place the salmon in a fish poacher or large roasting pan. Add enough cold water to cover the fish then add the onion, bay leaves, vinegar, lemon and a good pinch of salt and a little black pepper. Bring the pan to the boil on the stove and once it's boiling, turn off the heat and allow the fish to stand in the water until cool. Carefully remove the salmon and place onto a board. Carefully scrape off the skin and the white fatty albumin layer that often coagulates on the surface, and place on a large flat serving dish. Decorate with sliced lemon, cucumber and dill and serve with a bowl of hollandaise.

Grilled Tandoori-Style Salmon: La Porte des Indes

A robust spice rub of cumin, paprika, garam masala, turmeric and red chilli powder teams with fresh ginger, garlic and lime juice, emulsified with five tablespoons of vegetable oil, to create a wonderfully fragrant and aromatic marinade, inspired by a recipe from Chef Mehermosh Mody's 'La Porte des Indes' cookbook. While the tandoor clay oven, which originated in the old northwest frontier of India, is the traditional method for cooking tandoori dishes, these delicious Grilled Salmon Steaks are perfectly suited to grilling on an outdoor barbecue also. Marinated for a few hours, the salmon is grilled on the barbecue for 10 to 15 minutes, until the fish is cooked through and has become the most glorious deep fiery red colour. Gorgeous on salmon, this fabulous marinade is delicious on other firm fish, chicken and lamb as well. Served with some lime pickle or coriander mint chutney, this recipe has become one of my favourite marinades, created by one of my favourite Indian chefs. 

La Porte des Indes cookbook

Grilled Tandoori-Style Salmon Steak

Serves 2

Marinade:

3 garlic cloves, peeled and finely chopped

1 thumb of ginger, peeled and chopped

2 tsp cumin powder

2 tsp paprika powder

1 tsp garam masala

1 1/2 tsp turmeric

1/2 tsp red chilli powder

Juice of 1/2 lime

5 tbsp vegetable oil

Salmon:

2 salmon steaks, at least 1-inch thick

Lime wedges for garnish

Use a food processor to blend together the ginger, garlic and a little water, then add the remaining marinade ingredients, mixing well to make a paste. Marinate the salmon in the mixture for 1-2 hours. When ready, heat an outdoor grill to medium-high heat and cook the salmon steaks about 10-15 minutes, turning them over half way during the cooking time. Garnish with lime wedges and serve with a little lime pickle.

Terroni: Cucina Italiana in the Heart of Rosedale

Rooted in traditional Southern Italian cuisine, wine, and culture, Terroni began as a tiny panini store in 1992 when Cosimo Mammoliti and good friend Paolo Scoppio returned from a summer in Puglia with an idea to open a place in Toronto. Paolo’s family already imported southern Italian staples and Cosimo had experience bartending and working front of house, but neither of them had much of a plan, but they had a family connection to a storefront on Queen West and they took it. Though now a thriving, hip neighbourhood, Queen West of 1992 was in rough shape. Better known for drugs and illicit sex than for Italian food, the prospects for the store didn’t appear promising. Across the street, a local personality named Bernie owned an antique shop. When Cosimo and Paolo raised a sign with the name, “I Due Terroni,” Bernie walked over and recommended they shorten it. “It needs to be memorable,” he said. And with advice from that unlikeliest of sources, Terroni was born. 

Today the ever-expanding Terroni family now boasts five locations in Toronto and two in Los Angeles. Meeting up with family on a hot sultry weeknight, we landed a gorgeous table on the bustling and enormously popular rooftop terrace of Terroni's upscale Rosedale location at Price and Yonge. Having waiting over an hour for our table, we were hungry to explore Terroni's infamous Southern Italian menu of classic Sicilian and Pugliese dishes such as Insalata Caprese, Funghi Assoluti, luscious Gnocchi alla Simi with tomato sauce, fresh ricotta, basil and parmigiana and fragrant Rigatoni Arcobaleno with mozzarella di bufala, zucchini, light cherry tomato sauce and fresh basil. With a selection of 30 pizzas from which to choose, we decided on Pizza Quattro Stagioni with tomato, mozzarella, prosciutto di parma, mushrooms, eggplant, zucchini and olives, and a perfectly grilled Branzino served with a mixed bean and baby kale salad. For those with a sweet tooth, a short menu of decadent dolce make an irresistible end to a wonderful evening under the stars.  

The enormously popular outdoor rooftop terrace of Terroni's Yonge & Price Rosedale location

The summer menu of Southern Italian-style dishes

Glass of Italian Rosé from the Veneto

Caprese Salad with seasonal tomatoes, mozzarella di buffalo and fresh basil on a bed of wild arugula

Fungi Assoluti - baked oyster mushrooms with parmigiana and bread crumbs, on a bed of arugula dressed with extra-virgin olive oil and balsamic vinegar

Gnocchi alla Simi with tomato sauce, fresh ricotta, basil and parmigiana

Rigatoni Arcobaleno with mozzarella di bufala, zucchini, light cherry tomato sauce and fresh basil

Grilled Bronzino with mixed bean and baby kale salad

Quattro Stagioni with tomato, mozzarella, prosciutto di parma, mushrooms, eggplant, zucchini and olives with pits

www.terroni.com

Homemade Gnocchi with Smoked Mozzarella

Serves 8

Recipe courtesy of Enza Aloi, Executive Chef, Terroni

Gnocchi:

3 medium russet potatoes, about 1 3/4-pounds

1 large egg yolk

2 cup unbleached all-purpose flour, or more as needed

1/4 cup grated Parmesan

Sauce:

2 tbsp olive oil

1 garlic clove, minced

2 roasted red peppers, peel, seeded and cut into julienne

1 tbsp chopped fresh parsley

4 1/4-inch thick slices smoked mozzarella, cubed

2 tbsp shredded fresh basil

2 cup fresh or canned tomato sauce

Coarse salt and freshly cracked black pepper

Assembly:

Grated Parmesan, to taste

2 1/4-inch thick slices smoked mozzarella, cubed

2 tbsp shredded fresh basil

Preheat oven to 400°F. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper. Pierce the potatoes a few times with a sharp paring knife and place them in the oven. Bake them until tender and cooked through, about 40 minutes. When cool enough to handle — the hotter the potatoes, the lighter the gnocchi — peel the potatoes and pass them through a ricer, then spread on a baking sheet and let cool completely.

Once potatoes are cooled, gather them into a mound on a cutting board and form a well in the centre. Put the egg yolk into the well and begin kneading the potato and egg together with both hands, gradually adding the grated Parmesan and enough of the flour to form a smooth but slightly sticky dough. (Keep in mind that the longer the dough is kneaded, the more flour it will require and the heavier it will become.)

Roll the dough into finger thick strips and cut into 1/2-inch pieces. Sprinkle the pieces lightly with flour. Using the tines of a fork and the tip of your thumb take one segment and roll it downward toward the tips of the tines. This action will give your dumpling a deep indentation on one side and a ridged surface on the other. Place the dumplings on a baking sheet lined with a floured kitchen towel, and cook immediately or freeze.

To freeze the gnocchi, line a baking sheet with parchment paper. Spread a single layer of gnocchi on the parchment. Cover the layer of gnocchi with another sheet of parchment. Spread another layer of gnocchi on the parchment. Repeat with remaining gnocchi, finishing with a layer of parchment paper. Then wrap tightly with plastic wrap and freeze.

For the sauce, start by heating the olive oil in a large frying pan. Add the garlic and sauté for 1 minute. Add the roasted red peppers and the parsley, then add the cubed smoked mozzarella and the basil. Finally, add the tomato sauce and simmer. Season to taste.

Bring 6 quarts salted water to a rigorous boil. Add the gnocchi, stirring gently and continuously with a wooden spoon, cooking the gnocchi until they rise to the surface, about 1 minute. After they rise to the surface continue cooking them for an additional minute.

Remove the gnocchi from the water with a slotted spoon or a skimmer, and transfer to the saucepan with the sauce. Stir until the gnocchi are covered with the sauce. Plate and garnish with freshly grated Parmesan, cubed smoked mozzarella and the shredded basil.

Grilled Quail with BBQ Sauce & Sambal Oelek

These tiny little birds have a lot of flavour for their diminutive size. Marinated in a robust Smokey BBQ Sauce spiked with generous spoonfuls of Sambal Oelek, a hot chili-based sauce which is popular throughout the Indonesia, this recipe for Grilled Quail is an ideal appetizer for a summer cocktail party, Javanese-inspired Tiki party or satisfying al fresco dinner. Served spatchcocked or butterflied, by removing the backbone so the quail can be opened up and grilled flat, they can also be split in half for smaller appetizer-friendly portions. 

Grilled Quail with Smokey BBQ Sauce & Sambal Oelek

Serves 2-3 as entrée/8-10 as appetizer

6 quail

1/2 cup Diana Gourmet Western Smokehouse BBQ Sauce

2 tbsp Sambal Oelek

Kosher salt and fresh black pepper, to taste

Using poultry scissors or a sharp knife, butterfly the quail by cutting down the backbone so that the birds open up like a book. Rinse the quail under cold water to remove any impurities, then dry with paper towel. Place the whole quail in a glass flat bottomed dish, or cut them in half for appetizer portions,  and coat with the BBQ sauce and Sambal Oelek, using your hands to massage the marinade all over. Season with salt and pepper to taste, then cover with cling film and chill until needed. The quail can be prepared up to a day in advance, but an hour at the very least. 

When ready to cook them, preheat an outdoor grill to medium-high then place the quail skin side down and cook about 15-20 minutes, turning once, until the quail is cooked through and has become golden brown and lightly charred. Arrange on a large platter and serve warm or at room temperature.