Summer is upon us, and it’s the perfect time to entertain friends with a glass of fizz and some al fresco dining. Sounds heavenly, but we know that cooking restaurant quality food can be baffling at best, so we’ve teamed up with acclaimed chef Simon Stanley to talk you through his favorite summer recipe.
Simon is head chef and director of Damson Restaurant at Media City and Heaton Moor; renowned for it’s chic dining space, relaxed atmosphere and seriously good food. With menu’s available to suit all requirements we are sure the set, tasting and la carte menu’s will offer you an experience to remember for you and your guests!
So pop on your apron, jump in the kitchen and dazzle your dinner guests by recreating Damson’s dashing dishes in your own home.
Don’t forget to take pics of you're culinary creations and tag them with #BehindTheDishes, via Instagram or Twitter. We’ll choose the best picture to win a meal for two at the Damson restaurant.
The lucky winners will get to choose from the new summer menu, including an indulgent grilled beef flat iron steak, charred baby gem lettuce, chimichurri, or how about a delicious roast fillet of pollock, peanut romesco, aubergine and dandelion. To have a read of the full menu follow this link.
Bonne chance and get cooking!
Fillet of hake, grilled courgettes, summer greens, avocado, tomato, olives & chorizo
Serves 4
Seeing as summer is now in full swing, I have decided to show you a meal using beautiful summer vegetables and produce available right now.
In this light and fresh dish, we will be combining beautiful fresh fillets of hake with green & yellow courgettes, crisp summer greens & a tangy lemon dressing studded with cherry tomatoes, olives & chorizo
Ingredients & method:
• 4 portions of hake fillet
• 4 yellow courgettes – ends removed & sliced in ½ lengthways
• 2 green courgettes – ends removed & sliced in ½ lengthways
• 1 baby gem – leaves removed
• A handful of mangetout
• A handful of blanched green beans
• 8 cherry tomatoes cut into quarters
• 4 Kalamata olives cut into quarters
• 2 large basil leaves cut into fine strips
• 1 teaspoon of reduced balsamic vinegar
• 2 tablespoons of finely diced chorizo
• 1 teaspoon garlic butter
• Lemon & coriander dressing & avocado puree – see below
Ingredients - dressing
• 150g fruity extra virgin olive oil
• 50g lemon juice
• 20g coriander seeds
• 3 pinches salt
Method dressing & avocado puree:
1. Toast the coriander seeds in a dry frying pan until the aroma starts to develop then crush them.
2. Warm the olive oil and add the coriander seeds.
3. Dissolve the salt in the lemon juice and add that to the oil, refrigerate the dressing for 24 hours. After 24 hours strain the dressing through a fine sieve, pushing down well on the seeds to extract all the flavour. Discard the seeds and reserve the dressing.
4. Make the avocado puree by peeling one ripe avocado, removing the stone and blending till smooth with fresh lime juice to taste, salt and cayenne pepper in a liquidiser.
To finish cook the hake in a little oil skin side down until golden brown then turn over to finish cooking. Warm the dressing and add the tomato, olive, basil, balsamic & chorizo. Season the courgettes with salt and fry in a little oil in a non stick pan until golden, finish with the garlic butter. Cook the mangetout, baby gem and green beans in boiling water until just cooked. Garnish the plate with the avocado puree, divide the vegetables equally amongst your plates, sit the fish on the vegetables and spoon the warm dressing all over the fish.
We look forward to seeing your own dishes, get cooking! #BehindTheDishes
In association with Damson Restaurant.
Damson, Orange Building, MediaCityUK, Salford, M50 2HF
0161 7517020