Griffith Park Sparkling Wine is not intended just to be opened for special toasts and important occasions. It can complement any meal from a celebratory brunch to a midnight snack. It is a treat just sipped by itself, especially when shared with friends.
You can serve with oysters and crackers and fruit. Light cheeses are a perfect match. Or even to wash down a good curry.
1 tablespoon of soft blue cheese
2 tablespoons of cream cheese
1 heaped tablespoon finely chopped walnuts
Wedge of ripe pear
Chives
Mix together the two cheeses and walnuts.
Spread on fresh French bread rounds or lightly baked French bread
rounds (crostini). Top with a tiny wedge of fresh, ripe pear - skin on
- and finish with chives, either chopped or two stalks criss-crossed at
the top.
Salami
Cream Cheese
Choose a salami of your choice and spread the cream cheese on half of the salami slice and then pinch bottom edge (using the cream cheese to stick it together) to form an open petal.
Arrange these in a cluster on a platter and garnish with fresh basil sprigs and cherry tomatoes.
1 small can of red salmon (105gms). This could be
substituted for fresh salmon lightly oven baked & seasoned for
10-15 minutes depending on its thickness - don’t overcook.
1 heaped tablespoon of cream cheese
Zest and juice of 1 small lemon
Half teaspoon of sugar
Freshly ground black pepper
Finely chopped parsley and/or mint - approximately 1½ teaspoons
Mix all ingredients together and adjust taste to suit. Ideally make in advance and chill before applying to either cucumber rings, bilinis or fresh French bread rounds.
Top mousse with a fine strip of smoked salmon, twirled slightly into a rosette.
Finish off with a grind of black pepper.
Salmon fillets (where possible use tail end of salmon, no bones)
Juice of lime
Ground salt & pepper
Mild sweet chilli sauce
Place salmon fillets on baking paper in oven proof dish (saves washing up) skin side down.
Squeeze fresh lime juice over each fillet.
Season lightly with salt and freshly ground pepper.
Spoon mild sweet chilli sauce (store bought) over each fillet and bake
uncovered until just cooked and sweating - about 12 to 15 minutes
depending on the thickness of the fillets - at 180°C (DON'T OVERCOOK).
200gms dark Bournville chocolate
2oz butter
6 eggs
Melt the chocolate in a bowl over hot water, then leave to cool.
Separate the eggs and stir the yolk into the chocolate.
Whisk the whites of the eggs until stiff and then fold into the mixture slowly so as not to break it up.
Leave to set for 2 hours in fridge.
4oz butter
3 tablespoons golden syrup
1oz cocoa powder
2oz sultanas
8oz crushed digestive biscuits
4oz chocolate for topping
Grease a 6-inch round shallow tin.
Melt butter, syrup & cocoa together.
Stir in crushed biscuits & sultanas, press into tin.
Melt the chocolate & spread over the top.
Refrigerate & cut into portions.
12 strawberries with stalk intact
75g dark chocolate
Melt chocolate gently in a bowl over simmering water.
Line a tray with non-stick baking parchment.
Once the chocolate is melted gently dip strawberries to half their height.
Sit the dipped strawberries on the baking parchment.
Let the chocolate set at a cool room temperature.
Serve the same day.
3 egg whites
150g caster sugar
20g cocoa powder
To fill:
500ml double cream
Summer berries
Set the oven to 140/gas mark 1
Line a baking tray with non-stick baking parchment
Using an electric hand mixer beat the egg whites until stiff (you should be able to tip the bowl upside down & the egg whites stay put)!
Add the caster sugar a tablespoon at a time beating well.
Fold in the sifted cocoa powder gently.
For mini nests to serve as canapés, place heaped teaspoonfuls on the lined baking tray & using the back of the spoon create a dip in the middle of the meringues.
Or alternatively using a piping bag pipe nests to your required size onto the baking tray.
Bake in the oven for an hour and a half. Then switch off the oven & leave the nests to cool inside the oven for as long as you can.
Whip up the cream until you can create soft peaks. Fill the meringue nests with cream, then decorate with a selection of berries.
Serves 4
175g best dark chocolate
1 egg
100ml milk
150ml cream
1 teaspoon vanilla essence
150g caster sugar
20g cocoa powder
Blitz the chocolate in a food processor.
Heat the milk & cream until almost boiling then add the vanilla essence
Pour the hot liquid into the processor to join the chocolate. Hang on for a second or two then blitz for 30 seconds.
Add the egg then blitz again.
Pour into small cups or ramekins & refrigerate.
Also good poured into shot glasses. Serve as sweet canapés or with after dinner coffee!
Adapted from a recipe by Nigella Lawson.
Can also be made with soya milk & soya cream.
