Food critic, local food television personality and judge, Aubrey Ngcungama, calls on Neill to put on a culinary display of canapés and tapas-style dining for his a gathering of friends and business colleagues. Neill pulls out all the stops to put together an evening Aubrey and his guests will never forget.
Recipe 1: Macaroni cheese croquettes
- 250g Cooked macaroni
- 200g Butter
- 800ml Milk
- 600g Grated Mature Cheddar Cheese
- 250g flour
- Hot Sauce
- Salt
- Pepper
PANE:
- 4 eggs whisked
- 200g bread crumbs
- 100g flour
GARNISH:
- Cress
- Chilli Mayonaise
PRE-PREP:
CHEESE SAUCE:
Melt butter in medium sauce pan over a medium heat
Add flour, cook for 2-3min
Salt and Pepper to taste
Slowly pour in milk till thick
Mix continuosly till smooth
Add grated cheese and hot sauce
Stir through till cheese is melted
Turn heat off
Add cooked macaroni to cheese sauce, mix through
Place into lined tray and cover with cling film to set for 3 hours (over night)
FINISHING:
When ready to serve,
Remove tray from fridge and tip macaroni out of tray
Cut into 3cm squares
FINISHING: Frying
Roll squares in flour, Dip in eggs then coat in breadcrumbs
Refrigerate till needed
Deep fry till golden
Lay on papertowl to drain excess oil
SERVING:
Spoon Mayonaise onto serving board/plate
Arrange croquettes to serve.
Finish with baby cress and a sprinkle of salt.
Recipe 2: Lamb Koftas
LAMB KOFTAS:
- 1kg Braised lamb shoulder (slow cooked in lamb stock at 160 degrees for 4 hours, then shred)
- 30ml Braising Liquid
- Teaspoon Cumin
- ½ chopped onion
- Soaked raisins (in hot water) and chopped
TATZIKI:
- 2 Tablespoons Double Cream Yoghurt
- 2 grated cucumber
PANE:
- 4 eggs whisked
- 200g bread crumbs
- 100g flour
PRE-PREP:
Heat Olive oil up in a large non stick pan up,
Add onion and raisins to pan
Cook for 3-4min, add cumin to pan to toast
Add braising liquid to moisten lamb
Mix through
Add cooked onion and raisin mix to lamb
Mix through
Roll in clingfilm tin tube shape to set in fridge
TATZIKI:
Lay cloth into a bowl
Grate cucumber into cloth
Squeeze out excess water
Mix with yoghurt
FINISHING:
When ready to serve,
Remove lamb from fridge and remove from cling film
Cut into 3cm pieces
FINISHING: Frying
Roll pieces in flour, dip in eggs then coat in breadcrumbs
Refrigerate till needed
Deep fry till golden
Lay on papertowl to drain excess oil
FINISHING: Serving
Lay Tatziki on plate
Arrange Kofta’s
Top with more Tatziki
Season to taste if necessary
Ready to serve.
Recipe 3: Pork belly with celeriac remoulade
CELERIAC REMOULADE:
- 1 bulb finely slice celeriac
- 1 teaspoon grain mustard
- 1 large dessert spoon cultred cream
- Lemon juice
- Salt
PORK BELLY:
1 Braised Pork Belly (slow cooked in chicken stock at 160 degrees for 3 hours, pressed between 2 trays in fridge over night)
PRE-PREP
Mix celeriac remoulade ingredients together
Set aside to use later.
FINISHING:
Fry pork belly in a pan over a medium heat
Top with celeriac remoulade.
Recipe 4: Death by Chocolate Brownies
- 300g roughly chopped dark chocolate
- 150g unsalted butter. plus extra for greasing
- 2 teaspoons vanilla paste
- 150g light brown sugar
- ½ teaspoon baking powder
- 2 eggs whisked
- 75g plain flour
- 2 tablespoons cocoa powder
- 1 teaspoon salt
CHOCOLATE FOR DRIZZLE:
- 50g chopped dark chocolate
BERRY ICE:
- 250g frozen mixed berries
- 80ml double thick plain yoghurt
- Dash of Brandy
PRE-PREP:
Preheat the oven to 180°C
Grease and line medium size shallow baking tin
Melt the chopped chocolate, butter and vanilla together in heatproof bowl over a saucepan of simmering water
Remove from the heat once melted
Add eggs and sugar into electric mixer, whisk till combined
Sift in the flour, baking powder, cocoa and salt onto baking paper
Add to eggs till combined, pour chocolate in and mix until the mixture is smooth and glossy.
Bake in the oven for 25 minutes, or till top starts to crack
Turn off the oven, allow brownies to cool for a further 5min
Remove from oven allow to cool completely in the tin.
FINISHING: Chocolate Brownies
Place Brownies back in oven at 180 Degrees for 5min
Remove from oven
Remove from tray and cut into squares
Place on serving board/plate
FINISHING: Chocolate Drizzle
Melt the chopped chocolate, in heatproof bowl over a saucepan of simmering water
Remove once melted
Drizzle over brownies
FINISHING: Berry Ice
Place all ingredients in Vita Mix and blend till smooth
Spoon over warm brownies and serve immediately.