Rose Kentish Kitchen: Back on The Blog!

Monday, 9 May 2011

Back on The Blog!

(+ A never fail recipe for meringues)

It has been a shamefully long time since my last post and over the next few days I hope to rectify my lack of activity on this site. I am very grateful to be able to say that I have been extremely busy both in my new role as a chef for Flavours Dining in Tufnell Park and in my private catering endeavours and have not found a minute to write, but I hope to make up for that from now on.

The most significant event I have done recently was a birthday party for 110 guests near Hereford,

The menu was as follows:

Canapé selection:

Green Pesto Palmiers

Smoked Salmon & Cream Cheese Croustades

Tomato Bruschetta

Whole poached salmon with homemade mayonnaise

Honey glazed ham

Creamy New potato salad

Couscous, Roasted vegetables & feta salad with mixed herbs and Cumin

Seasonal remoulade

Green bean salad

Mixed Leaves with Balsamic Dressing

Dessert selection

Lemon Possets

Pot Aux Chocolat

Miniature Pavlovas with Fresh Fruits

The event was a great success and I had loads of fun cooking along with my trusty Sous chef Harriet!

Meringues

Mini Pavlovas are my absolute favorite and I always use my mothers recipe for the meringue that has never failed me yet!

With only two ingredients they are so easy to make. There are just a few simple rules to make sure they always work.

1.Before you start make sure the bowl you are using to beat the egg whites is really clean without any grease in it (rubbing a slice of lemon around the inside of the bowl will make sure).

2: Don't break the yolk when you separate the eggs, any yolk at all will stop the whites from stiffening properly.

3: Weigh your whites!

For 1 1/4 ounces of egg white use 2 ounces of caster sugar. (I usually make them in batches of 5 ounces of whites to 8 ounces of sugar as it makes weighing them so much easier).

Beat the whites with an electric whisk until really stiff and forming into peaks. Add 2 tablespoons of the sugar and continue to beat with the electric whisk for 30seconds until the mixture has a silky glaze. Using a spatula gently fold in the rest of the sugar a third at a time until it is all combined. Put in a piping bag and make into shapes on a baking sheet with baking parchment. Bake on the lowest setting on your oven until the meringues are hard to the touch, turn them over and continue to dry out until they are completely set. This can take quite some time and really depends on how low your oven goes but essentially you are not cooking the meringues simply drying them out. Taste a meringue to see if they are done; if you are a 'chewy-in-the-middle' kind of person take them out early, if not keep on cooking...

These meringues should keep for weeks in an airtight container.

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How It Began

I started out cooking at a very early age. My parents are both very accomplished in the kitchen; my mother is master of pastries, cakes and desserts and my father (although he could ruin even a simple trifle) is a real savory gourmet. At every possible opportunity I shadowed them in the kitchen, helping stir mixtures, taste sauces and plan menues. It was a real moment of achievement when, at the age of 9 my dad let me make and season the gravy for the Sunday lunch.
My very first job was at a French restaurant in my local town. Every saturday I peeled the langoustines and helped prep salads before being pot-wash for the evening. The close environment, the heat, the freshly prepared dishes so beautifully presented, and the colourful language used by Fabrice, (owner and head chef now running this restaurant and hotel in the south of france), was both exciting and intense. I loved being a part of that machine.
Since then I have worked in many restaurants both front and back of house, from chef to barmaid. Having completed my degree in opera and vocal studies I moved to Florence for a month to continue my singing and stayed two years. Working in local Italian kitchens and bars I immersed myself in the Italian passion for food. Their appetite for fresh, local, seasonal produce and simple, uncomplicated dishes really inspired me and forms a huge part of the way I cook today.

The Catering

It had long been my desire to start catering privately for people in their own homes so two years ago I set up my own catering company.

Based primarily in London and Oxfordshire I provide fine food for canapé & bowl food receptions, large party buffets, gourmet barbecues, weddings, private dinner parties

wine & food tasting events

Each event uses seasonal and ethically sourced ingredients. I work closely with customers when devising menus to make sure I offer a unique and bespoke service, as well as organising all waiting staff and equipment hire.

Working in collaboration with Jack Chaddock, of MARC Fine Wines I am also able to offer a wine matching service.

For more information about the catering including menu options, canape lists, testimonials, and online inquiry forms please visit my website www.rosekentishkitchen.com. Alternatively please email me at rosekentish@gmail.com.