A Southern different class

Well as we are here our chef is still competing on the master chef completion so ....we have an alternative lesson today.
Checkout the kitchen at the far end is the hillside that features in this kitchen as the whole place is from the 15th Century and was a former water mill.
Stainless Steel meets the rocks it was such  a cool working environment.

This region Calabria is famous for seafood or as they like to say fruita from the sea. The farm we are staying on is a very large oil oil producer and an avocado farm....oh and offcourse it is mushroom season.
So there is todays lesson.


Crostini with Mushroom Ragout

2 tab olive oil
1/3 cup shallots chopped
6 cups of mushrooms
1 clove garlic minced
1/4 cup cream
1 tea rosemary cut very finely as its overpowering and hard
zest 1 lemon
1 cup Fontana cheese grated
1/2 Parmesan cheese grated

Toast about 36 baguette slices set aside.
Heat oil medium heat add shallots sautéed 1 min. add mushrooms till soft and take some colour about 6nmins. stir in garlic sautee for 1 min to keep the flavour fresh and strong....Very southern Italaian...remove from heat add in cream, rosemary and zest .Cool slightly, stir in cheeses add salt and pepper to taste. Serve on toasts.

Ok next Spaghetti alle Vongole

Serves 4-6
450 gms Spaghetti
1400 gms clams in shells
30 gms garlic
1 bottle of dry white wine open set aside 75 mlls drink remaining while you cook :) :) this makes sure its good enough to cook with
25 mgs chopped parsley
250 mls clam juice Hmm may be a little hard to et so fish stock
5 gms salt
90 mm olive oil
15 gms chili flakes
10 gms plain flour

Cook spaghetti al dente in salted boiling water.

While pasta is cooking soft fry garlic add chilli clams and deglaze with white wine and clam juice.
remove clams to stop overcooking and reduce the sauce. Thicken sauce with a mix of olive oil and flour if needed.
Place seafood back in pan toss with parsley and pasta.

Alora ... Italian for next ... or ... Ok ... or relax ... or what ever!!!!

Avocado chocolate moose
Serves 2-4

1 avocado ripe
100 gms very dark chocolate
1/4 cup double cream
1/2 tea vanilla
3 Tablespoons sugar or agave syrup
1 pinch salt

Thickened cream for serving and segmented fruit...Orange mostly used here as we are southern Italy.
Melt chocolate and cream in double boiler or micro stir every 20 seconds and cook slightly. Combine all ingredient in processor and mix till completely smooth. Put in serving bowls and set.

So after todays class some time off the enjoy what the agritourismo has on offer, being the end of summer the pool has its winter cover pulled over and the waste is heated to a nice 26 deg.

The pool cover is made of a metal frame and filled in with polly carbonate that slides in under the hillside when not in use.