With Valentine’s Day around the corner, couples across the city are making grand plans for the special day. Although taking your loved one to a fancy restaurant might be the norm, you can also create a very special atmosphere at home by preparing a three-course meal cooked with chocolate. That’s right, chocolate. We spoke to new head chef at the Holiday Inn, Carl Moore, about how to prepare this romantic delight.
Cooking with chocolate is not a new phenomenon; Chef Moore tells us that people have been garnishing savoury meals with it for centuries. He has personally been experimenting with chocolate for as long as he can remember. It all began with a friendly series of cook-offs between friends, where the chef first tried integrating dark chocolate with a chilli con carne. ‘It’s not everyone’s cup of tea, but I quite enjoyed the taste and soon started trying it in different dishes.’
Appetiser
Mushroom, asparagus and chocolate Risotto
Ingredients
250g assorted fresh mushrooms
25g dried porcini mushrooms
1 bunch asparagus, trimmed
½ cup plus 1 tablespoon olive oil, plus more for serving
1 large clove garlic, finely grated
1 onion, chopped
2 cups Arborio rice
1 cup grated white chocolate
Mascarpone cheese
Coarse salt and freshly ground black pepper
6 tbsp unsalted butter
Parmesan cheese shavings
Directions
1 Clean then slice the mushrooms. Place porcini mushrooms and 6 cups water in a medium saucepan and bring to a boil, then remove from heat and let stand for 10 minutes. Strain mixture through a sieve into another medium saucepan, discard solids. Place mushroom stock back over low heat.
2 Discard the bottom of asparagus and cut remaining on an angle but not all the way to the tip. Bring a small saucepan of salted water to a boil and prepare an ice-water bath. Place asparagus in boiling water and cook until tender-crisp, about 2 minutes. Drain and immediately transfer to ice-water bath to cool. Drain and set aside.
3 Heat 3 tablespoons oil in a medium pan over low heat. Add garlic and onion, and cook, stirring occasionally, until translucent, for about 2 minutes.
4 Add rice (one handful per portion) and stir to coat. Increase heat, season with salt. Let cook, stirring until liquid is almost evaporated, about 2 minutes. Add ½cup of the warm mushroom stock and cook, stirring constantly, until liquid is almost evaporated, about 2 minutes. Repeat this process twice.
5 Add chopped mushrooms and season with pepper. Continue adding mushroom stock, ½cup at a time, and cook, stirring, until liquid has almost evaporated, about every 2 minutes, until rice is al dente, 20-30 minutes total.
6 Meanwhile, in a large skillet, heat 2 tablespoons olive oil and a knob of butter and quickly sauté the blanched asparagus, season with salt and pepper.
7 Add the asparagus to risotto and stir, then add the grated chocolate, and then quickly stir in two spoons of mascarpone cheese (should be moist, but not like rice pudding!).
8 Portion into bowls and drizzle with olive oil and serve with some Parmesan shavings.
Main course
Salmon with white chocolate tortellini pasta
Ingredients
160g Salmon
Salt and pepper
Butter
Directions
1 Remove the skin of the salmon.
2 Season with salt and pepper.
3 Place it in the oven at 170 degrees on a tray with butter for 10 minutes.
Filling for artichoke and white chocolate tortellini
Ingredients
200g artichoke hearts
100g shallots diced
50g white chocolate grated
Lemon thyme
2 cloves garlic, finely chopped
Sea salt and fresh black pepper
Olive oil
Butter
Directions
1 Heat a medium pan, add two table spoons of oil and a chunk of butter. Sauté the shallots until translucent. While they are cooking chop the artichoke.
2 Add the artichoke hearts, chopped garlic and thyme leaves, cook for 5 minutes to bind the flavours, then add the grated chocolate and be sure to mix well.
3 Season to taste and set to one side to allow to cool.
4 Once cool the mix is ready to be used as a stuffing for your tortellini.
Dessert
Chocolate truffle tart
(Ideally make day before)
Ingredients
500g good dark chocolate (grated)
500ml double cream
Pre-cooked sweet pastry case that is medium size
Mascarpone cheese
Honey
Sprigs of mint
Directions
1 In a medium pan, heat the cream but avoid boiling. Add the dark chocolate, remove from heat and stir until smooth, then allow cooling for about 10 minutes.
2 While still warm, pour the chocolate mix into the pre-cooked pastry case and place on a level shelf in the fridge (it will need around 3-4 hours to fully set).
3 When serving place the blade of a sharp knife under hot running water, make the first cut into the tart, then repeat the process with every slice (this gives nice clean cuts on the tart).
4 Place wedges on plates, with a table spoon, run under hot water also, place on mascarpone at a closed angle and pull towards, giving you a ‘scroll’, place this at the point of the tart, drizzle some honey over the mascarpone and place a sprig of mint aside and serve.
Chef Moore is head chef at the Holiday Inn Abu Dhabi (02 657 4888).
