Matt & Gaz finally get it together in March

_What should have been the last gathering for 2008 finally happened in early March this year,  in Penylan. I'm happy to shoulder the blame for this one, if it hadn't been for my own detainment and the NHS's pleasure around Christmas and then other family health issues we would have been done and dusted ages ago! 

Anyway, we finally did get on top of things and decided to push it a little harder. Italy was the influence this time, a lot of research and ideas from the likes of Mr Locatelli, Silver Spoon etc. and we rustled up a four courser that we think tickled everyone's taste buds. We started with a small, fresh, delicious plate of pasta - hand made of course, infused with garlic and topped with mint, capers, cherry toms and beans, just enough to get the buds going for a second starter. Matthew Fort influenced this one with a rustic recipe he had presented in The Guardian a few years back - chicken and pistachio wrapped in prociutto and then baked in the oven as a sausage. We added to this a pistachio pesto, a thyme infused creme fraiche and a grilled shard of  prociutto for some crunch. Mains was monkfish, simply pan fried and served up on braised swiss chard with an agrodolce sauce, caper berries and a rocket salad. Nice. Desert was probably the most challenging, on paper it all sounded very unappealing but to eat, wow! Basil sorbet was served up on a salted shortbread biscuit held in place by caramel cream. All this sat in a pool of clear, sweet tomato soup with diced balsamic jelly and garnished with deep fried and sugared basil leaves. I have to admit to completely overdoing the basil in the sorbet which gave it a bit more of a kick than intended but what the hell!

We pushed the boat out this time again and loved every minuet of it, it's always a pleasure cooking with the very talented and very knowledgeable Mr Lawton.  The 2009 season is ready to kick off next with Mr Johnson and Mr Duffy. Can't wait. Watch this space...