Pride Hotel Blogs

Ingredients:    

Skimmed milk: 1 lt

Sugar: 200 gm, to taste

Strawberry and passion fruit essence: 2 tsp each

Powdered gelatin: 2 packets (about 4 ½ tsp)

Cold water : 6 tbsp (90 ml)

Strawberry and passion fruit crush (for dessert topping): 1 cup each

Method:

1) Heat the milk and reduce to a one third consistency. Add sugar in a sauce pan; once dissolved, remove from heat, cool and divide into two different bowls.

2) Add strawberry essence to one and passion fruit essence to the other and stir it.

Lightly grease heart-shaped moulds.

3) Sprinkle gelatin over cold water in a medium-sized bowl and let stand 5 to 10 mins.

4) Pour the rabdi pannacotta mixture into the prepared moulds and chill until firm (which will take at least two hours), but let them stand for at least 4 hours.

5) Run a sharp knife around the edge of each pannacotta and unmould each onto a serving plate, cut through the desired shape of a heart, place one over the other (as shown) after glazing each with strawberry and passion fruit crushes and serve.

(Courtesy: Executive chef Aman Tandon from The Pride Hotels, Ahmedabad)

Ingredients:

4 kg  turkey, at room temperature                  
Salt, to taste
Freshly ground black pepper, to taste
2 celery stalks, cut 2″ lengths
4 yellow onion, quartered
3 orange, quartered
5 lemon, quartered
6 bay leaf
3 fresh parsley springs
1/4 cup unsalted butter, at room temperature
1 cup chicken stock

Cranberry sauce
3 cups fresh or frozen whole cranberries / tetra pack juice of cranberry
1 cup sugar
1 orange, grated zest and juice
1 cup water
1 cinnamon stick, about 3″ long, broken in half
1/4 teaspoon ground cloves
1/4 cup coarsely chopped walnuts, toasted, (optional)

Method:

1) Preheat to 325 degrees Fahrenheit

2) Remove the neck, gizzard, and heart from the turkey and discard or reserve for another use. Rinse with cold water, pat dry. Season the cavity with salt and pepper and place the celery, onion, orange, lemon, bay leaf, and parsley in it. Truss if desired. Rub the outside of the bird with the butter and sprinkle with salt and pepper.

3) Place on the rack in the pan, breast-side down. Roast for 40 minutes, basting with pan juices after 20 minutes. Add the chicken stock to the pan and reduce the heat to 325 degrees Fahrenheit; turn breast-side up and continue to roast, basting every 15 to 20 minutes with pan juices. Roast until golden and cooked through.

4) After about 2 hours, start testing for doneness as the turkey should roast a total of 2 1/2 to 3 hours.

5) As soon as the turkey is in the oven, begin to make the cranberry sauce: Sort the cranberries, discarding any soft ones. In a saucepan over medium-high heat, stir together the cranberries, sugar, orange zest and juice, water, cinnamon stick, and cloves. Bring to a boil, reduce heat to low, and cover partially. Simmer, stirring occasionally, until the sauce thickens and the cranberries have burst, 10 to 15 minutes.

6) Transfer to a bowl and let cool, then cover and refrigerate until serving. Stir in the roasted walnuts (if using) just before serving. You will have 4 1/2 cups of sauce.

7) Transfer the turkey to a warmed platter, cover loosely with aluminum foil, and let rest for 20 to 30 minutes before carving. Serve the turkey with the cranberry sauce.

(Courtesy: Executive chef Aman Tandon from The Pride Hotels, Ahmedabad)

Ingredients:

For The Sponge                                            

• 50 gm cocoa powder
• 200 g self-rising flour, plus extra for dusting
• 1tsp baking powder
• 10 large eggs
• 200g (3½oz) caster sugar, plus extra for dusting

For The Icing

• 500g (8oz) dark chocolate (about 70% cocoa solids), broken into pieces
• 300g (6oz) double cream
• 75g (2oz) icing sugar – to taste

For The Filling

• 200 g cashew nut, almonds, raisins, apricots caramelized
• 50 gm each of white and dark chocolate chips

Method:

1) Preheat the oven to 200°C. Line a sponge baking tray with baking paper.

2) Sift the cocoa, flour and baking powder into a bowl.

3) In a large mixing bowl, whisk together the eggs and sugar until they are thick, creamy and have doubled in volume. This will take at least 5 minutes.

4) Gently fold in the flour and cocoa mixture with a large metal spoon, taking care not to knock out too much air. Pour into the tin.

5) Place in the oven for 40 minutes, until the sponge is just firm to touch. Remove from the oven and leave to cool in the tin for a couple of minutes before turning out onto baking paper to be dusted with caster sugar.

6) BELGIAN CHOCOLATE ICING, gently melt the chocolate over a pan of simmering water or in the microwave. Leave to cool slightly.

Blend in the double cream and icing sugar. Mix in the melted chocolate and leave to cool to room temperature. The mixture will thicken as it cools.

7) Spread over the cold sponge sheets and mix in caramelized dry fruits and chocolate chips, and carefully roll the sponge to form a log shape. Transfer to a serving plate.

8 ) Spread the icing over the sponge with a palate knife and use a fork to create a bark effect. Add other festive decorations.

(Courtesy: Executive Chef Aman Tandon from The Pride Hotels, Ahmedabad)

Mediterranean Coban Salatasi is a Turkish salad. It is considered by many as light refreshing and easy to make and is especially popular during spring and early summer. To add an extra dash of colour and crunch, you can throw in some crumbled feta cheese and oven-toasted pita triangles.

Preparation time: 20 minutes                        

This classic cold soup from Spain with a dash of Tabasco is accompanied by a stuffed tomato with basil-tossed veggies.

Preparation Time: 20 minutes              

Baking time: 15 minutes

Serves: Four

Ingredients:

> 1 red pepper, chopped     > 1 shallot, chopped

> 30 ml olive oil      > 1 egg yolk     > 10 tomatoes      > 1 drop Tabasco

> Ice cubes, as needed     > Salt and pepper, to taste      > 300 g Gouda cheese, diced

> 30 ml heavy cream       >½ bunch chives, chopped      > 60 g black olive tapenade

> 1 cucumber, chopped      > ½ green pepper, chopped and blanched      >1 zucchini, chopped and blanched

> 1 bunch celery, chopped and blanched      > 4 basil leaves, chopped fine

Method:

1) To make the gazpacho, blend half the red pepper with the shallots, olive oil, egg yolk, five tomatoes, Tabasco and enough ice cubes to make a fine puree. Continue until the liquid has emulsified. Season with salt and pepper.

2) Dice the Gouda cheese and mix into the cream to get a rich emulsion. Add chives and season with salt and pepper. Mix in the olive oil tapenade, and whisk into a smooth paste. Combine with the gazpacho. Set aside.

3) Peel, deseed and chop another tomato. Mix with the remaining chopped red pepper, the cucumber, green pepper, zucchini, and celery. Toss with chopped basil and season with salt and pepper. Set aside.

4) Peel the other four tomatoes, cut off the tops, hollow them out, and stuff them with the vegetable mix. Bake in the oven for 15 minutes at 120° C.

5) Place one stuffed tomato in the centre of each shallow bowl, and replace the tops. Surround this centerpiece with the creamy gazpacho. Serve immediately.

(Courtesy: Executive chef Aman Tandon from The Pride Hotels, Ahmedabad)

Salty crabmeat mixed with chives and whipped cream and stuffed in a crunchy baked or fried puff pastry cone served with crisp lettuce tossed in a Mediterranean dressing.

Preparation time: 40 minutes                                      

Cooking time: 30 minutes

Serves: Four

Ingredients:

2 (800 g each) crabs

200 g whipped cream

1 bunch of chives, chopped

Zest of 1 orange

Salt and pepper, to taste

4 flat circles of puff pastry dough

125 g clarified butter

20 g sesame seeds

25 ml olive oil

Juice of ½ a lemon

1 shallot

250 g mixed lettuce leaves

½ bunch tarragon

Method:

1) Bring a pot of water to a fast boil. Add the crabs and cook for 25 minutes. Afterwards, leave the crabs in to infuse in the cooking liquid for a few minutes.

2) Crack the crabs and extract the crabmeat. Mix the crabmeat with the cream, chives, orange zest, salt and pepper. Set aside.

3) Cut an 8” diameter circle out of a card sheet and fasten into a cone. Use as to form four cones, wrapping them in aluminum foil.

4) Cut the dough into an 8” diameter disc and create four cones by placing the covered cones. Remove and brush with the clarified butter and sprinkle with sesame seeds. Bake or fry until golden brown.

5) Fill the cones with the crab mixture.

6) Make a dressing by mixing the olive oil, lemon juice and sliced shallots together. Toss the lettuce and tarragon.

(Courtesy : Chef Aman Tandon from The Pride Hotels, Ahmedabad)

An authentic cuban cocktail with a Guava twist

Ingredients:                                                                

(Courtesy: Executive Chef Aman Tandon from The Pride Hotels, Ahmedabad)

Preparation time: 60 mins

Cooking time: 30 mins