What's Cookie? » Recipes

The best of Italy

Domenico — Tue, 10 Jan 2012 08:07:33 +0000

At Cookie we are going back to first principals to bring you some of the best Italian products and mix them with the best of Scotland. Things that you will hard to find even in Italy. All brought to you direct from the people that make them. Simply the best of Italy. We have a return of some favourite Cookie products such as Pecorino from Sardinia, “Fiore Sardo” the Flower Sardinia, of ready to marry with great British Pears. New treats like Ciauscolo from Vitto, a spreading salami, to cover Cookie crostini. Coppa to sit next to toast and a rocket and orange salad. Some of the things we bring in might be a bit obscure so here are some pictures whet your appetites and give you an idea of where they are from. Fiore Sardo A cheese from the harsh and beautiful rugged hills of the Mediterranean island of Sardinia. This is one of the great Italian cheeses. Still produced by smaller shepherds who age the rounds for months in cool cellars, for a traditionally rustic flavour. Firm texture, creamy, nutty finish which goes incredibly with a fresh pear. La Tuscia We also have a Pecorino from the La Tuscia, once centre of the Etruscan civilisation, La Tuscia is North of Rome bordering on Tuscany and part of the Maremma, home to the first cowboys. This pecorino is a slightly milder cheese mixed with goats milk. Great for runner beans when they come into season and for the moment with home made chutneys such as apple and mustered. We have a whole range of Charcuterie from our friends in Umbria Great Guanciale “pork cheek” for our pasta Cured in red wine for 20 days rolled in fennel seeds pepper chilli and salt stronger in flavour than Pancetta and the perfect base for a Carbonara or the non eggy version, Gricia or a great all’amatriciana. Capocollo Capocollo is a cured pork shoulder, soaked in white wine, salted and peppered and hung to cure. Ciauscolo from Vitto This soft sausage has a bold and assertive flavour and tenderness. It is made with shoulder and bacon meat, which is repeatedly minced to obtain a creamy texture. Mixed with black truffle and allowed to air-dry for 2 weeks. Delicious when spread on a slice of crusty Cookie bread and accompanied with slivers of green apple, or a little honey. Corallina Salami The original and most famous of Umbrian salami is made from the best cuts of pork following a traditional and age-old recipe. The meat is expertly hand-cut to obtain the correct balance of meat and fat. It is flavored with whole and crushed black peppercorns, garlic and salt, hand-tied in the pork gut and aged for up to 40 days. Coppa di testa This is a cooked meat like a marbled terrine with a delicate aromatic taste. It is cut wafer thin like ham, it is seasoned with garlic, black pepper and salt, orange peel and lemon, it is steamed in a jute bag. It can be served in thin slices with rucola and mature pecorino, toast and a slice of orange on the side to add to that citrus edge. It goes well with a glass of robust red wine.

Vino Veritas

Domenico — Wed, 29 Jun 2011 09:15:07 +0000

We have always had some kooky wines at Cookie. Our House red will be familiar to many of you, it has been missing for a while now due to lack of time to make a trip. Not to worry, Alessandro’s house is on its way. We have reserved 2000 lt of the stuff for the coming year. We tasted it and are now ready to ship it, packed with almond blossom and bottled with a Cookie label.

We have been freshening up our cellar at Cookie and decided to introduce a few new arrivals to our shelves. To go with these we are putting together accompanying small dishes which bring harmony to the ensemble and illustrate the qualities of the wine. So if you are looking to enjoy a bottle of wine with a friend why not come in and try something new.

The first to mention is a Pinot Blanc by Joseph Cattin. On the palate, the wine is light, soft almost creamy, delicate and subtle, Alsace is a great wine region and this pinot blanc deserves it’s Gold Medal (2009 vintage) - General Agricole Contest of Paris 2010. It is simply lovely and a great all rounder.

Number two is our name sake Kuki. When we heard the name we had to try it and it doesn’t let you down. It had to be good as this is our first concession to Non European wine. It is a Malborough Sauvignon blanc from New Zealand. Crisp and refreshing with all the gooseberry and passion fruit you would expect with a tingle in the finish.

Brachetto D’Aqui. Someone told me this was in last months Vogue magazine as the wine to drink this summer. We didn’t find the article on the web but it made us smile to know we are well ahead of the game by stocking this great and very different sparkling rose. It is truly is a wonderful bubbly fruity wine which will make you smile. It is all strawberry but not a fragolino. At 5% vol it’s not going to knock you out. It is the perfect summer opener. Surprise your friends.

In the Red department we have added two interesting and missing actors to our list. The first is a beautiful Bordeaux with a blend of 75% Cabernet Franc and 25% Merlot. Chateau la Croix St Benoit from 2009. You wont get better claret for under a tenner.

Barbera D’Alba from Mascarello. It must be the summer black truffles we brought back from Amelia last month sending subliminal messages. We can’t charge a restaurant mark up for this wine as nobody would buy, it so we have just applied a corkage rate to keep the price down and allow you to enjoy one of Italy’s great red wines. A plate of prosciutto, a bruschetta with truffle oil and a couple of pieces of Parmesan. Bob’s your uncle.

The Glasgow Fillet

Domenico — Wed, 24 Nov 2010 08:21:33 +0000

This week we are introducing “The Glasgow Fillet” , otherwise known as featherblade or oysterblade, which is good for slow-cooking. This old fashioned cut which was a staple of childhood in Glasgow pre 1980′s. Seal the beef with seasoned flour, sauté onions, roast root vegetables diced thinly, beef stock, parsley stocks some red wine. Make sure the stock covers the meat. Cook slowly for at least 2 hours. Reduce the stock to give a sauce. This week we are serving it with red cabbage and mash. Other items on our men this week are: Hot smoked mackerel and black pudding Game stew Guinea fowl with roast chestnuts and fondant potatoes, Roast vegetables and pecorino tart Beetroot Risotto and Goats cheese Roast Cheesy Leeks

Mealy Pudding

Domenico — Sat, 20 Nov 2010 09:54:04 +0000

Bring back the Mealy pudding! From Scotland, Ireland to Nova Scotia. This is a great and simple pudding. You can make it vegetarian by changing the fat content, mix in some spices, nuts, beans lentils and more and you will get a veggie haggis.

2 Lbs Oatmeal toasted
1 Lb suet
2 Onions, finely chopped
Salt
Pepper
1 tsp sugar
Tripe skins ( I wrapped mine in a few layers of cling film)

• Fry the onions. Toast the oatmeal on a baking tray in the oven. Combine the suet with the onions and then mix with the toasted oatmeal. Add the salt pepper and sugar. Mix thoroughly and put the mixture in the prepared tripe or wrap in several layers of cling film but leave a little room because the mix will swell.
• Tie the ends tightly and drop into boiling water. Prick them to stop them bursting, cook for one hour, the pudding will keep for some time if kept cool and dry.

Tablet

Domenico — Sat, 20 Nov 2010 09:16:08 +0000

Ever tried that game, think of a word. Say the word Tablet…and what you will usually come up with is something like..ma granny’s or auntie Jean’s was magic. Tablet is a kind of Scottish family thing and someone’s kin usually makes a tray of it generally served on a special visit to see them. For many the only time they get a chance to savour this Scottish confectionary symbol is on a Bus tour to a Scottish visitors centre.

Not the safest to make when kids are around due to the boiling sugar. Go on… make some Tablet for friends and family as a Christmas gift or stocking filler.

½ Pint of milk
250g Butter
1.9kg Sugar
2 tins evaporated milk
2 caps full of vanilla esscence

• Warm the milk and melt the butter in a deep heavy bottomed pan.
• Add the sugar and melt gently without colour, add the tins of milk
• Bring to the boil ( the mix will expand ) and simmer till the mix deepens in colour and reduces by half.
• Take off the heat and add the vanilla, beat regularly as it cool, when the mix in near to setting point pout in to two small or one large lined try and allow to harden for at least 6 hours.

Clootie dumpling

Domenico — Sat, 13 Nov 2010 08:47:19 +0000

This is rags to riches story. As we approach Christmas we thought we would give you an alternative idea to the richer Christmas pudding and remind you of our own great version the Clootie dumpling.

Clootie, from the Scot’s meaning a rag or cloth. The Clootie and the Christmas pudding share a similar origin dating back to the 15 century. A time when the lack of fodder enforced the culling of animals at the end of autumn. This dumpling was a solution for the preservation of meat at the end of the season. A big mix slow cooked with sugar, dried fruit, boiled in a bag made from cloth.

It comes as no surprise that this Scottish dumpling can be recycled into a breakfast and when accompanied by some Ayrshire bacon, it will sort out the previous evening with Souter Johnny or any other drouthy cronie.

Here is Iain’s family recipe:

4oz Suet
8oz Self-raising flour
1 teaspoon baking powder
4oz breadcrumbs
3oz brown sugar
1 grated apple
8oz currants and sultanas
1 teaspoon each of cinnamon, ginger, nutmeg
1 tablespoon golden syrup
¼ pint of milk
2 eggs

• Half fill a large pot with water and bring to the boil. Soak a cheese cloth on the water then dust it with flour.
• Beat the eggs, mix in the syrup and a little milk and gradually mix into the dry ingredients and fruit. Place the mixture in the middle of the cloth. Tie it up with string tightly but allow for swelling.
• Place and inverted plate on the bottom of the pot and put the pudding on top of it. Boil for 3-4 hours. Never let the water drop below half way down the pudding.
• Once boiled dip in cold water and peel off the cloth and dry the pudding off in the oven at around 160 deg C for 20 mins.