Auguri from Italba Dining
As the year comes to an end and I prepare for my final dinner of 2019, I want to take a moment to reflect on the past year. I’m extremely grateful to have cooked in some stunning venues across Scotland for new and existing clients. Irrespective of the location, occasion or budget I aim to use Scotland’s finest ingredients to create delicious, Italian-inspired seasonal menus. Hiring a private or personal chef has never been as popular in Scotland as people see it as an affordable and more relaxing alternative to eating at an high-end restaurant.
Looking ahead I hope to continue to cook some great food, experimenting with new recipes and hosting some seasonal supper clubs at the new Italba Kitchen premises located just outside Comrie. Watch this space for some updates about this soon.
Later this evening, once I’ve cooked my final dinner of the year, I’ll head back to beautiful Comrie to see the New Year in with family and friends. The flambeaux (flaming torches) is a spectacular parade through the village and is enjoyed each year by locals and an influx of visitors from all corners of the globe . A few drams will be shared and hugs exchanged as folk welcome the new year in together. Hogmanay in Scotland is a unique experience and very different from how we celebrate in Italy.
In Italy, it’s customary to eat lentils at New Year, this doesn’t sound particularly impressive, but I can assure you it’s delicious. The lentils coin-like shape ARE traditionally believed to bring good luck and fortune in the new year. This tradition actually originates from a Roman custom of giving a “scarsella”, a leather pouch, full of lentils. In these ancient times, it was hoped that the lentils would turn into gold coins, bringing wealth to the wearer. The way in which lentils swell in volume when soaked and cooked is thought to symbolise increased wealth so it’s hardly surprising they are a symbol of prosperity in Italy.
Historically lentils were given as a gift on 31st Dec but nowadays we are satisfied with eating a bowl of the traditional stew on 31st December or the first day of the year. Eating lentils at during the New Year is a custom upheld throughout Italy, although the way the dish is prepared can vary from region to region. In the North we like to serve with cotechino, a chunky pork sausage which creates a meaty rich taste.
The below recipe is true to the way we Northern Italians would prepare this dish – omit the sausage to create a healthier, vegan version.
New Year Lentil Recipe with cotechino (optional)
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INGREDIENTS
Three chopped tomatoes
One stick of celery
One carrot
One onion
Few cloves of garlic
250 gr of green lentils such as puy
Bunch of herbs (rosemary, bay leaves, thyme)
½ litre chicken or vegetable stock
One glass of red wine
One hand full of flat parsley
METHOD
Finely chop the celery, onion and carrot and make a soffritto, add the lentils, fry for a minute and add the red wine, when steamed add the stock and the chopped tomatoes, cook until the lentils are tender but not to mushy.
The sausage is prepared on the side and added o the stew once cooked. Finish with crushed black pepper, a drizzle of extra virgin olive oil and chopped parsley.
| Serves 4
To drink we cannot get enough of Spumante an Italian Sparkling wine –a better example than the better known prosecco that is so popular here.
So, as we enter a new decade and my lentils are stewing gently on the stove, I’d like to raise a glass of my favourite malt and express my deepest gratitude to all my family, friends and clients for your continued support, encouragement, belief in Italba and the private dining concept. In 2020 I look forward to welcoming old and new clients throughout Scotland and beyond, around the Italba table.
For more information about private chef services please click here
Auguri!
Nelson (Italba Dining)