It is with a profound excitement that I reveal this week’s Kitchen Inspiration,which features none other than the Ivy, a restaurant thatreally needs no introduction.
Tracing its roots back to 1917, the long-standing institution in the heart of London’s theatre land recently underwentan extensive refurbishment, moving effortlessly into present times while retaining itssignature look – patrons would no doubt be pleased to see the harlequin stained glass windows, still intact!
Ivy classics still feature prominently on the menu of course, alongside innovative and cosmopolitan new additions. Expect to find an Asian selection,more “sea and shells”, and even a broader focus on salads and vegetables.
Here, the Ivy sharetheir incredibly tantalising recipes for a twice baked Montgomery cheddar soufflé and a skinless, fragrant chicken salad with a lime & chilli dressing… Bon Appetit!
Twice Baked Montgomery Cheddar Soufflé
Serves six
- 30g unsalted butter
- 30g plain flour
- 150ml milk
- 125g Montgomery Cheddar, grated
- 1 tsp English mustard
- 8 medium free range egg whites
- 1 tsp cream of tartar (or baking powder)
- Salt and freshly ground black pepper
For lining the dish
- 50g unsalted butter, softened
- 50g Parmesan finely grated
Brush the soufflé dishes / ramekins with butter and line with Parmesan.
Keep to one side. You need to make a roux. Heat the milk in a saucepan until warm (but not boiling). In a separate saucepan (heavy-bottomed), melt the butter over a low heat, gently stir in the flour, gradually adding the warm milk and stirring well, until you have a thick consistency. Add the cheese and mustard and check for seasoning. Take the saucepan off the heat. Whilst that is still warm, whisk the egg whites together in a separate bowl, adding the cream of tartar and a little salt until soft peaks form.
Beat a third of the egg whites into the cheese mixture and then fold in another third before folding in the rest. Spoon the mixture into the dishes, smoothing the top using a palette knife until it is flush with the top of the ramekin. Make a slight indention with your thumb around the edges. This will allow the soufflés to rise.
Pre heat the oven to 110°C / gas mark ¼. Bake the soufflés in a bain-marie for 18 minutes. Allow to cool, then remove carefully from the ramekins and turn upside down onto a baking tray.
Turn the oven up to 180°C/ gas mark 4 and bake again for 8 minutes.
Skinless Fragrant Chicken Salad with Lime & Chilli Dressing
Serves two
- 2 skinless free range, organic chicken breasts
- 1 ltr chicken stock (a good quality stock cube will do, but do use all the trimmings from the vegetables & herbs including ½ a stick of lemon grass)
- 3spring onions, thinly sliced at an angle (save one for garnish)
- ½ small bunch of flat leaf parsley, chopped
- ½ small bunch of coriander, chopped (keep a little aside unchopped for garnish)
- ½ small bunch of mint, finely chopped
- 1 large carrot, Julienned
- 30g bean sprouts
- 20g white radish or mooli, Julienned
For the lime and chilli dressing
- Juice of 2 limes
- 2 tbsp Manuka honey
- 1 medium sized red chilli, finely chopped
- 1 medium sized green chilli, finely chopped
- A small pinch of dried chilli flakes
- 4 lime leaves, deveined
- ½ a stick of lemon grass
- 1 garlic clove, peeled and crushed
- 2cm ginger, peeled and finely chopped
- 1 tsp coriander powder
- 150ml coconut yoghurt (a little more if you want a thinner consistency)
- 2 tbsp fish sauce
To make the dressing, place chilli, lime leaves, garlic, lemon grass and ginger into a pestle & mortar and pound until juices start to flow (you could use an electric grinder if absolutely necessary). Once pounded and the juices have come out, squeeze and sieve the mixture and retain the liquid for the dressing. Discard everything else. Add the honey and lime juice to the liquid and stir well. Mix in the coconut yoghurt. Taste-wise, you’re looking for a fragrant, sweet and sour flavour and consistency-wise, this should resemble a thick vinaigrette.
To poach the chicken, put the stock with the trimmings and other half of the lemon grass into a large saucepan. Bring to the boil. Add the skinless chicken breasts and simmer gently until tender (approximately 20 minutes). Drain and keep to one side. Once cool, shred into small pieces and put into a salad bowl. Add the herbs, carrot, white radish and bean sprouts. Gently mix these together, add the dressing and mix again.
Garnish with spring onion and coriander leaves.
In order to get the most out of the flavours, it is imperative that the dressing is prepared at room temperature.
For moredecadent recipes from the Ivy and other fantastic establishments that are part of Caprice Holdings, you can head over to their website –here.
