FIRE AND SMOKE
SMOKEY CHILLI BUTTER SCALLOPS, FIRE SMOKED PROSCIUTTO, RICOTTA, NECTARINE BRUSCHETTA, A ONE TRAY CHICKEN AND THREE VERY GOOD COCKTAILS TO GO WITH IT
Hi and welcome back to COME FOR SUPPER.
Three recipes this week PLUS three very good drinks to pair them with. SCALLOPS BAKED IN THE SHELL WITH SMOKEY CHILLI, PAPRIKA, PARSLEY BUTTER; BRUSCHETTA OF RICOTTA, NECTARINE AND FIRE SMOKED PROSCIUTTO; AND OVEN BAKED CHICKEN WITH SHALLOTS, FIGS, ROSEMARY AND SAGE
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I have always loved smokey flavours. Smokey bacon, smoked salmon, really good hot roast salmon that has that smokey buttery edge to it. Babaganoush, good tequila and whisky!
As a teen I was adamant that I didn’t like whiskey very much. At some point I realised that it was in fact Jack Daniels and Coca Cola that didn’t like very much. Whisky was delicious. It wasn’t till I started dating my then whisky-loving boyfriend, now whisky-loving husband that I got into whisky and its various iterations. Like wine, whiskey comes in many forms and with much complexity. And like wine, this can sometimes seem a bit off-putting and intimidating. For too long I think there’s been a bit of a stigma around whiskey being an after dinner mans drink which is a ridiculous notion. Whisky is wonderful and it is for EVERYONE.
I am a fan of a short strong drink. I love a dry martini, a campari on the rocks and enjoy my whiskey neat but I find that most people prefer a longer drink and errr… I also find that if you serve dry martinis all evening there will likely be at least one person who needs to be cleaned up off the floor. Drinking cocktails with supper is more of the norm in the USA which I find wonderfully chic. I think of Don and Betty Draper in Mad Men drinking Old Fashioned’s and Tom Collins’s alongside their prawn cocktail and schnitzel…. so cool, SO CHIC. You see it more and more in France too, along with drinking champagne all night…also chic!
So this week I’ve given three cocktails to go with supper. A NECTARINE MANHATTAN (which I won’t lie, is definitely short and definitely strong but an excellent way to start the evening especially alongside BRUSCHETTA OF RICOTTA, NECTARINE AND FIRE SMOKED PROSCIUTTO, a WHISKY ROSEMARY SPRITZ (think of it as Aperol’s older sexier sister) to go alongside SCALLOPS BAKED IN THE SHELL WITH SMOKEY CHILLI, PAPRIKA, PARSLEY BUTTER, and a WHISKY LEMON AND ROSEMARY ICED TEA (one that works as an all nighter and can carry you and your guests from Aperitivo hour to pudding). It is particularly good with OVEN BAKED CHICKEN WITH SHALLOTS, FIGS, ROSEMARY AND SAGE (a one tray number with a subtle nod to Autumn).
If you’re new here, scroll down to find the written recipes and scroll ALL the way down for the printable PDF where you’ll also find some MUSIC TO COOK TO. This one is for all subscribers but if you enjoy this post and would like access to all posts and my FULL recipe archive do consider becoming a paid subscriber. If that’s you already, thank you!! Your support goes right back into my work developing recipes, shooting videos, and writing about all of it.
THE RECIPES
A note on whisky and where to find it. I buy my whisky at Malts who have a brilliant diverse range of whiskys. They even have a fab flavour profile quiz to help you choose a whisky for you. Malts very kindly provided the whiskies for this recipe development. You can find out more about them and the whisky they stock here.
NECTARINE MANHATTAN
Short and sweet this is a twist off the classic Manhattan using nectarines. I love Caol Illa whisky for this. It has a citrus fruitiness and has a lighter smokiness than most whisky with more of a sweetness which is perfect in this short cocktail.
Makes 2
1 large ripe nectarine or peach (plus more to garnish)
2 oz.(60ml) Cointreau or Grand Marnier
2 tbsp caster sugar
4 oz.(120ml) whisky, I love Caol Illa
2 oz. (60ml) vermouth rosso, sweet red vermouth
Ice
Peel and slice the nectarine and place in a bowl with the Cointreau and sugar. Chill for at least two hours.
Transfer the macerated nectarine and Cointreau with 2oz (60ml) water to a small blender or food processor, blend together until smooth then strain through a sieve.
Pour 4 oz.(120ml) of the peach mixture into a cocktail shaker filled with ice.
Add the whisky and vermouth and shake vigorously. Pour into martini glasses.
Garnish with a thin slice of peach
BRUSCHETTA OF RICOTTA, NECTARINE & FIRE SMOKED PROSCIUTTO
Giving the prosciutto a lick of flame gives it a beautifully smokiness. The fat singes as it hits the flame and produces a glorious plume of fire around the meat. I love it against the cool ricotta and fresh nectarine but a drizzle of honey is a good addition too.
Serves 2-4
1 small loaf of focaccia or roughly 4 slices of sourdough
Olive oil
150g ricotta
6 slices of prosciutto
1 nectarine, sliced into roughly ½ cm slices
Slice the focaccia in half through the middle as though you were making a sandwich. Paint over the bubbly fluffy side with olive oil using a pastry brush. Heat a griddle or frying pan over a medium heat whilst you cut the focaccia into thick soldiers roughly 3cm x 7cm. Cook the focaccia soldiers olive oil side down for about 3-4 mins until they are slightly charred. Allow them to cool slightly.
Light a gas hob flame to a medium heat. Using flame-proof tongs scrunch a slice of prosciutto and hold it over the flame for about 30 seconds until the fat has slightly charred. Take care as the flame may increase at stages.
Spread the ricotta over the charred focaccia. Top with three slices of nectarine followed by the charred prosciutto. Drizzle with olive and enjoy.
GLENKINCHIE ROSEMARY SPRITZ
I used Glenkinchie whisky for this. It’s a light and smooth whisky with a slightly floral almost lemony edge to it. It is perfect in a spritz and becomes almost zestier when mixed with a little soda water. I find Aperol spritzes a bit sweet and am usually done after one. This feels a bit more refined and is also lower ABV which makes it even better for that stretched out lunch day drinking.
Makes 1, increase as necessary
2 oz.(60ml) Glenkinchie whisky
1 oz. (30ml) vermouth rosso, sweet red vermouth
1 oz. (30ml) rosemary simple syrup* see below
A dash of orange bitters
Soda water
Rosemary to garnish
Add the whisky, vermouth, rosemary syrup and splash of bitters to glass with ice.
Top with soda water and stir with a cocktail stirrer.
Garnish with a rosemary sprig.
*For the rosemary syrup combine 200ml of water with 200g sugar with the leaves from 3 rosemary sprigs. Bring to a boil, stirring until sugar dissolves, simmer for 3 mins then remove from heat and allow the syrup to cool completely. Strain out the rosemary and transfer to a clean jar to chill in the fridge until using.
SCALLOPS BAKED IN THE SHELL WITH SMOKEY CHILLI, PAPRIKA, PARSLEY BUTTER
Cooking scallops this way is a fab way to get their sizzle on, its incredibly quick and looks rather fancy too. Take care to wear gloves as the tray and scallop shells will get very hot.
Serves 2-4
6 scallops (either in their shell or ask your fishmonger for some extra shells)
100g butter, soft
½ tsp smoked paprika
½ tsp crushed chilli
handful of parsley leaves, finely chopped
1 small clove garlic, finely grated
Good pinch of salt
Lemon to serve
Remove scallops and clean shells. Use a teaspoon to dislodge scallops, wash clean and pat dry with kitchen towel. Scrub the shells and dry with a tea towel.
Heat your oven to 250 fan setting and place the scallop back in their shells on a large baking tray.
Combine the butter with the spices, parsley, garlic and salt.
Spoon the butter over the scallops. Bake for 5-7 mins until sizzling. Serve with fresh lemon.
LEMON AND ROSEMARY ICED TEA
I use The Singleton in this. I love the malty syrupy sweetness it has and it’s one of my favourite whiskys to enjoy neat. It reminds me of toffee apples and honeycomb and works beautifully with the sharp zestiness of fresh lemon juice. The key is to enjoy this really cold so make sure you chill everything well before serving.
Makes 2
4 oz.(120ml) The Singleton whisky
4 oz.(120ml)Â brewed tea, chilled
1 oz. (30ml) fresh lemon juice
2 oz. (60ml) rosemary sugar syrup, chilled
Lemon peel to garnish
For the rosemary syrup
200g granulated sugar
200g water
3 sprigs of rosemary
Make the rosemary syrup ahead of time so that it has time to chill. Pull the rosemary leaves from the stems. Place the sugar, water and rosemary leaves in a saucepan and bring to the boil. Reduce the heat and simmer for 3-4 mins. Switch off the heat and allow the syrup to come to room temperature allowing the rosemary to fully infuse.
Run the syrup through a sieve and discard the rosemary leaves, then transfer the syrup to the fridge to chill.
Pour the whisky, tea, lemon juice and rosemary syrup into a jug filled with ice and stir.
Fill highball glasses with ice, pour the cocktail over and garnish with a twist of lemon.
OVEN BAKED CHICKEN WITH SHALLOTS, FIGS, ROSEMARY AND SAGE
Serves 2
2 chicken legs
320g new potatoes, halved or quartered if large
2 large banana shallots, peeled and halved
2 sprigs fresh rosemary
Small bunch sage
Olive oil
Salt
Pepper
2 figs
1 glass of white wine (about 200ml)
150ml water
Preheat the oven to 200 fan setting and bring the chicken to room temperature as it heats.
Place the potatoes, shallots and herbs into an oven proof dish (large enough to hold the chicken). Drizzle generously with olive oil, season with salt and pepper and toss to coat.
Place the chicken on top and rub the skin with olive oil, salt and pepper.
Quarter the figs and nestle them around the chicken. Gently pour the wine and water over the vegetables.
Cook for 40-45 mins until the chicken and potatoes have cooked and the chicken skin has browned.
MUSIC TO COOK TO
FREAK SLUG
They are yet to have an album but the singles are GOOD VIBES.
Thanks for reading and see you next week
x💋x💋