Italian buffet
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MAINS
Beef fillet carpaccio, pine nuts and grilled radicchio
Thinly hand-sliced raw beef fillet marinated for 1/2 hour in olive oil.
On a platter the beef is topped with toasted pine nuts and shavings of parmesan.
Served with radicchio, just wilted under the grill and
drizzled with lemon juice, olive oil and balsamic vinegar.
Orange, fennel, olive and smoked herring salad
Segments of orange, membrane removed, and diced, sliced raw fennel and
red onion, green and black olives, smoked herring fillets cut into pieces
are combined with olive oil and lemon juice to make this Sicilian salad.
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SALADS/SIDE DISHES
Cauliflower salad “di rinforzo”
An invigorating salad usually prepared for Christmas time in Naples.
Blanched cauliflower florets, crushed garlic, chopped anchovy fillets,
capers, cayenne pepper, pitted black and green olives
are dressed with white wine vinegar and extra virgin olive oil.
Baked beetroot with bagna cauda sauce
The beetroot is baked in the oven with thyme, garlic and olive oil covered by its own leaves. It is then peeled and coarsely diced, mixed with finely cubed pickled gherkins and
dressed with the sauce. Bagna cauda is a rich wintery garlic and salted anchovy dip.
Potato, celery and chilli salad
A spicy salad made from potatoes, sliced celery stalks, chopped celery leaves and fresh red chilli.
Carrot, celeriac and artichoke salad
Julienne of carrots and celeriac with sliced preserved artichokes
dressed with mayonnaise and lemon juice.
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DESSERTS
Taleggio and ciabatta crostini
This whole cows’ milk cheese from Lombardy is fruity in flavour
and can be very runny when ripe.
Served with grilled ciabatta slices drizzled with a little olive oil and sprinkled with Maldon sea salt.
Citrus salad with honey and pine nuts
Prepared white and pink grapefruit, and orange segments
chilled marinating in their juices and honey.
The salad is enhanced by toasted pinenuts.