There's nothing more satisfying than having someone else cook dinner for you. This rings especially true when the initial plan was made in a drunken haze and subsequently forgotten. Marcus called at 3.45pm, just as I was thinking about popping over to the local supermarket to buy some ingredients. Chinese food was featuring in my mind but Marcus offered salmon wrapped in Prosciutto with lentils, spinach and yogurt. Yes please. This meal is somewhat of a magnum opus for Marcus. He has the recipe printed onto a piece of paper yellowing at the edges and splattered with oil stains, (as all good recipes should) and has made it for us at least once before. The idea came from a Jamie Oliver recipe I once copied for him but now long lost.
Marcus likes to add his own little quirky twists, such as drizzling a few drops of balsamic vinegar onto the plate before covering with a good spoonful of rice into which he has stirred through some chopped parsley or cilantro. Just as you are finishing the herby rice, you get a hit of tangy and sweetly mellow vinegar, surprising and interesting. Last night, he grilled some asparagus on an electric grill and added a few drops of Worcestershire sauce from the biggest bottle I have ever seen. The sauce mainly caramelized on the bottom, creating a charred, deeply savoury taste with the hint of anchovies and vinegar intensified by the crisp asparagus.
The salmon he bought were huge, three vast meaty pieces wrapped up snugly in Prosciutto and baked in the oven. The lentils were earthy and bright with loads of spinach, cilantro, basil and parsley and a huge dollop of yogurt on top added creaminess and a sharp edge.
Marcus is an excellent, adventurous cook and he does love those historical dramas with battle scenes! However, we did get to drink his home-made lager and Pilsner which was really nice.
Recipe : Salmon with Prosciutto, herby, yogurt lentils and grilled asparagus with Worcestershire sauce. (A note to North American readers - this is pronounced 'Wuster' sauce, not 'Warchester', as we recently saw written on a reputable restaurant's menu)!
3 large, meaty pieces of salmon
1 packet of Prosciutto
olive oil
2 tins brown lentils
2 large bunches spinach
1 handful each of basil, cilantro and parsley
1 bunch asparagus
6 - 8 drops of Worcestershire sauce
3 big spoonfuls of plain yogurt
Lay out 2 big pieces of Prosciutto on a flat surface and position the salmon in the middle. Wrap the Prosciutto around the salmon and drizzle with a little oil. Repeat with the remaining salmon. Wrap each piece in foil. (Omit this step if you want a crispy Prosciutto wrapping but be careful because it can burn).
Bake the salmon in a pre-heated 325oF oven for about 25 minutes.
Bring a large pan of salted water to the boil and add the lentils. Cook on medium to high heat until most of the liquid has evaporated. Drain and return to the pan and mix in the spinach and herbs, letting the residual heat wilt the spinach, stir well.
Rub the asparagus with a little oil and place on the griddle or a barbecue or under a pre-heated grill, (broiler), sprinkle with the Worcestershire sauce. Grill until they are crisp and slightly charred and serve.
Serve the salmon with the lentils and asparagus, placing a spoonful of yogurt on top of the lentils.
My contribution for the evening was chocolate mousse. Here is the recipe but don't expect it to be perfectly set. (Ours had to go in the freezer for a while).
Recipe : Chocolate mousse
2 pieces of dark, unsweetened chocolate
2 teaspoons of sugar or one packet of sweetener
2 tbsp butter
2 tbsp whipping cream
2 tsp Grand Marnier
2 tsp dutch processed cocoa powder
2 eggs, separated
1 tbsp water
Melt the chocolate in a bowl for 1 minute in the microwave, add the butter and melt for another 20 seconds, stir well. If it is not quite fully melted, zap for a little longer.
Add the sugar or sweetener, cocoa powder, Grand Marnier and whipping cream. Stir well again until well incorporated. (You may need to use a whisk to emulsify it).
Separate the eggs, keeping both the whites and yolks and place the yolks in a bowl set over a saucepan of shallow boiling water. Add the water and whisk together to produce a foamy, expanded mixture. Remove from the heat and add to the chocolate mixture.
Beat the egg whites until they form stiff peaks and put a tbsp into the chocolate mixture to loosen it by folding it in gently. Add the rest of the egg whites and stir well but carefully.
Spoon the mixture into separate bowls for individual servings or one big bowl. Refrigerate or freeze for at least 4 hours (fridge) or 1 (freezer).
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