As the Movement Control Order evolves into the more relaxed Conditional Movement Control Order (CMCO), life returns to some semblance of normalcy. Restaurants are beginning to serve diners in limited numbers, with enforced operating procedures for safety, and most businesses have already opened their doors. However, this doesn’t mean you should hang up with apron and retire from family meal duties just yet, as staying home still remains the best option to curb the spread of Covid-19.
Cook your family a three-course meal, crack open a bottle of wine and enjoy the pleasures of your abode for just a little longer. Le Méridien Kuala Lumpur‘s Italian haven Favola and chocolate saloon Art Cacao has just the family meal recipes for you.
Starter: Arancini Di Riso, Favola
Arancini di risotto, breaded and deep fried rice balls, are a beloved Sicilian snack. Le Méridien Kuala Lumpur’s southern Italian restaurant’s popular appetiser keeps it simple by focussing on the rich flavour of carnaroli rice and parmesan cheese.
Recipe
What you need:
350 g Carnaroli rice
70 g Butter
60 g Parmesan cheese
30 g Onions (chopped)
2 g Saffron
1 litre Chicken or vegetable Stock
500 ml Cooking oil
4 tablespoons Extra virgin olive oil
3 Eggs (beaten)
Bread crumbs and white flour (sifted)
Salt and white pepper – to taste
How to make it:
Put four tablespoons of extra virgin olive oil and 10g of butter into a large pot and sauté the chopped onions. Add the carnaroli rice, stir until hot and add in the saffron. Continue stirring for two minutes to ensure each grain is coated evenly. Next, add in your choice of stock gradually to cover the rice while stirring occasionally. Once the stock is reduced and absorbed, ensure the rice is cooked. This usually takes around 18 minutes. Remove the post from the stove and add in the remaining butter and parmesan cheese and stir until they are mixed well. Taste and season if necessary before spreading the risotto thinly onto a tray and allow it to cool down.
Once cool, scoop some rice and form into rice balls with your hand. Coat the rice balls with flour, then beaten eggs and lastly with breadcrumbs. Heat up cooking oil in a deep pan or a deep fryer. Fry the arancini on medium-high heat when the oil is hot enough. Make sure to turn them often to prevent it from burning on one side. Fry until golden brown, strain and place on a paper towel to soak up excess oil. Serve hot with preferred sauces.
Main: Herbs tagliatelle, Favola
Simple yet incredibly flavourful. Test your Italian cooking chops with this herbaceous vegetarian-friendly pasta for your next family meal.
Recipe (serves 5)
What you need:
Tagliatelle
500 g Flour (sifted)
3 Eggs
Chopped fresh herbs – thyme, rosemary and sage
1 tablespoon Olive oil
Sauce
200 g Cherry tomatoes (halved)
150 g Broccoli
80 g Parmesan
1 cup Tomato juice
1 tablespoon Chopped onion and garlic
Salt, pepper and olive oil – to taste
How to make it:
Pasta dough
Taking only the leaves, chop the fresh herbs finely and keep it aside. Set water to boil in a large pot with salt. Next, mound the flour on a clean work surface. Hollow out the center making a well in the middle of the flour with steep sides.
Crack the eggs into the well. Add the salt and olive oil into the hollow centre and gently mix together with your fingers. Gradually start incorporating the flour by pulling in the flour from the sides of the well. As you incorporate more of the flour, the dough will start to take shape. With your hands, continue working the dough until it comes together and it’s a homogenous texture. If the dough is too dry, add a little water; if it’s too wet or sticky add a little flour.
Begin kneading the dough and keep kneading until it becomes smooth and elastic, which takes about 8 to 10 minutes. At this point, flatten the dough with your palm and set the dough aside, wrap it with cling film to prevent it from drying out, and let it rest for 15 to 20 minutes. Tip: you can store the dough in the refrigerator for up to 24 hours, but allow it to return to room temperature before rolling it out.
Roll out the dough into rectangular sheets with 2 mm thickness and 15 cm in length. With the help of a knife, cut into long strips of 1cm width. Cook the pasta in the previously salted boiling water for a few minutes until al dente while stirring, and then strain off excess liquid. Toss with the sauce and serve immediately with grated parmesan cheese to top off.
Sauce
Bring salted water to boil in a large pot, and cook the Broccoli until it’s “al Dente’. Immediately immerse the broccoli into a water bath to stop it from cooking further, drain off excess water and set aside. Heat four teaspoons of extra virgin olive oil into a casserole and sauté the chopped onion and garlic until fragrant. Add cherry tomatoes and tomato juice and simmer approximately for 10 minutes until it thickens. Finally, add in the broccoli to warm it up and season to taste.
Alternative main: Potato gnocchi in cheese sauce, Favola
When done right, this potato gnocchi dish is a delicious pillowy delight that will a family meal win.
Recipe (serves 5)
What you need:
Gnocchi
1 kg Potatoes
100 g Parmesan
1 Egg yolk
Salt, pepper, nutmeg powder – to taste
Olive oil or canola oil
Cheese sauce
2 cups Cream
150 g Gorgonzola or Taleggio
How to make it:
Pasta
In a pot of boiling water, immerse the whole potatoes and boil until soft. While still warm, peel and mash it by passing through vegetable mill onto a clean surface. While this is happening, set water to boil in a large pot with salt and set up an ice bath next to the boiling water.
Make a well in the center of the potato and sprinkle all over with sifted flour and parmesan. Place the egg yolk in the center and stir it into flour and potatoes just like making normal pasta. Season with salt, pepper and nutmeg powder. Knead gently until the dough is smooth and dry to touch.
Next, divide the dough into quarters and roll into 1 cm diameter dowels before cutting into 3 to 4 cm long dowels. Flick pieces off of with a fork and drop into the pot of boiling water gently. The gnocchi is cooked when it floats to the top. Remove with a skimmer and place into ice bath. When the gnocchi is cold, drain off excess liquid and toss lightly with canola or olive oil. Set aside.
Sauce
In a casserole pot, add in cream on low heat to simmer. Add in gorgonzola or taleggio cheese and gently whisk until you get a smooth, creamy texture. Season to taste and add in the gnocchi, toss and simmer for a few minutes until warm and serve.
Dessert: Moist chocolate fudge cake, Art Cacao
A family meal isn’t complete without some sweetness. And this is absolutely the perfect way to end a satisfying dinner.
Recipe
What you need:
Sponge
125 g (1/2 cup) Butter
250 g (1 1/4 cups) Sugar
100 g (2 medium) Eggs
62 g (3/4 cup) Cocoa powder
225 g (1 cup) Flour
6 g (2 teaspoons) Baking soda
9 g (2 teaspoons) Baking powder
368 g (1 1/2 cups) Water
Vanilla custard
16 g (2 Tablespoons) Corn flour
30 g (about 2) Egg yolks
78 g (6 Tablespoons) Sugar
1 g (1/4 teaspoon) Vanilla essence
238 g (1 cup) Evaporated milk
39 g (2 3/4 Tablespoons) Butter – 39g
Chocolate coating
46 g Pasteurised eggs (1 egg)
76 g (6 Tablespoons) Sugar
16 g (2 Tablespoons) Corn flour
224 g (1 cup) Evaporated milk
38 g 2 3/4 Tablespoons) Butter
20 g (1/4 cup) Valrhona cocoa powder
How to make it:
Sponge
Using a small mixer with paddle attachment, beat the butter with the sugar until creamy. Add in the eggs one at a time, and combine well. Next, add in flour, together with baking soda, the cocoa and baking powder. Following this, add in water slowly and combine well until a smooth batter is achieved. Pour the batter into a round cake ring, bake in 180 degree Celcius until set.
Vanilla custard
In a saucepan, boil the evaporated milk with the vanilla extract and half of the necessary sugar. In a mixing bowl, whisk the egg yolks with the remaining sugar and the corn flour. Combine together, then send back to the heat until boiling, whisking the cream constantly. Transfer the cream into a container, and then incorporate the butter in. Mix well until it is all melted and combined. Leave to cool and reserve in chiller.
Chocolate coating
In a saucepan, boil the evaporated milk with half the sugar. In a mixing bowl, whisk the eggs with the remaining sugar, the corn flour and cocoa powder. Combine both elements together, then send back to the heat until boiling, whisking the cream constantly. Transfer the cream into a container, and then incorporate the butter in. Mix well until it is all melted and combined. Finally, leave to cool and reserve in chiller.
