Ingredients:

• 200 gm Bittersweet Chocolate
  
• 3 tbsp Granulated Sugar
• 2 cups Heavy Cream
• 1 tsp Vanilla Extract
• 4 Egg Yolks
• Butter
• Gelatine
• Sugar

Method

Whip the cream to soft peaks and combine the chocolate, butter, on top of a double boiler over hot, but not simmering, water, stirring frequently until smooth. Remove from the heat and let cool until the chocolate is just slightly warmer than body temperature. To test, dab some chocolate on your bottom lip. It should feel warm. If it is too cool, the mixture will seize when the other ingredients are added.

Once the melted chocolate has cooled slightly, whip the egg whites in a medium bowl until they are foamy and beginning to hold a shape. Sprinkle in the sugar and beat until soft peaks form.

When the chocolate has reached the proper temperature, stir in the yolks and gelatine. Gently stir in about one-third of the whipped cream. Fold in half the whites just until incorporated, and then fold in the remaining whites, and finally the remaining whipped cream.

Spoon or pipe the mousse into a chocolate cup. Refrigerate for an hour.

By G Raghunathan, executive chef of The Solitaire Hotel

Photograph by lariat

INGREDIENTS
2 tomatoes
½ cucumber
1 capsicum
1 Red Onion, halved and thinly sliced
1/2 (10 ounces) package Romaine Lettuce Leaves
50 gm olives (black)
100 gm feta cheese

DRESSING
100 ml Olive oil
20 ml white vinegar
20 ml lemon juice
Salt to taste
10 gms white pepper powder
05gm Oregano
2 small cloves garlic

PREPARATION
Cut all vegetables and lettuce in segments and shave feta cheese and keep separate.Arrange vegetables with black olives in flat platter and sprinkle oregano.

Combine all dressing ingredients in a jar, cover tightly and shake vigorously.

Pour this dressing on the top of salad

Ingredients:

• 4 trimmed lamb chops
• 3 cloves garlic
• 2 tbs fresh rosemary
• 2 tbs fresh mint leaves
• 3/4 cup red wine
• 1/3 cup butter
• 1/4 tbsp black pepper
• Fresh dill leaves for garnish
• 100ml Olive oil
• Salt to taste

Preparation:

Marinate lamb chops with the above ingredients

Place chops on grid on covered grill 9 minutes or until instant-read thermometer

inserted into chops registers 160°F for medium or to desired doneness, turningonce

Pesto sauce: - Heat 1 tbs olive oil in pan over medium heat and cook the garlic until softened and add to a food processor along with pine nuts, basil, parsley, mint and process. Add the cup of olive oil while grinding and make it into smooth paste. Finally add lemon juice, salt and pepper to taste.

By G.Raghunathan ,Executive chef, Hotel Solitaire bangalore

Photograph by

chefraghugourmet embarked in recipes.bgkulinar , mahalo , TOI & bestcaliforniachefs news

1 spiny lobster (2 ¼ to 2 ½ pounds)
12 Fresh mushroom cups, diced
6 tbs Butter
2 tbs Lemon juice
Salt
4 tsp Chopped shallots
2 tbs Pernod
1 cup Chablis
1 cup Fish stock
2 tsp Minced tarragon
1 tsp Beef extract (glace-de-viande)
2cups Heavy cream
Cayenne pepper
Beurre manie
½ cup Whipped cream
Freshly grated parmesan cheese
Melted Butter
Lemon slices
Parsley or Watercress sprigs


If the lobster are uncooked, boil them and let them cool, split each one lengthwise and break off the claws, legs and feelers.Crack the claws to remove the meat but do not break the shell when extracting the body meat.Place meat on a cutting board, washout and clean each shell, then pat dry.

Dice the lobster meat into ½ to ¾ Inch cubes and reserve.In a large skillet sauté the diced mushroom caps in 2 tbs butter, sprinkled with 1 tbs lemon juice and little salt, cook for 4mts, then remove to a bowl.Add about 4tbs butter to the skillet and sauté the lobster meat with 2tsp of the chopped shallote, cook for about 2mts, then add pernod.Return mushroom to the pan and leave on back of stove or at room temperature.

In a saucepan combine the Chablis, fish stock, tarragon, beef extract and remaning 2 tsp of chopped shallots.Reduce this by half, then slowly add the heavy cream with constant stirring.Add beurre manie in order to obtain a thick sauce.Simmer for atleast 3mts, season to taste with remanini lemon juice,cayenne pepper to taste and salt.Reserve about one third of sauce in a bowl to be used making the glacage.Pour the remaning two thirds of the sauce over the lobster meat in the skillet and reheat at the simmer, then spoon the mixture into the cleaned lobster shells to fill them.

Return the reserved one third of the sauce to the saucepan and add the whipped cream.Just keep the sauce warm as you quickly blend, spoon equal amounts of this over each lobster, then sprinkle with parmesan cheese.To prevent the cheese burning and to creat a golden brown surface, dribble melted butter on the glacage. Place the lobster shells under the broiler (but not close to heat source) until a good colour is obtained garnisn with lemon slices and sprigs of parsley or watercress

Photograph by Lariat productions

By Chef Raghu, Executive chef, The Solitaire , Bangalore

Kumara Krupa Road
Near Race course road, Banglore: 560001
Tel:91-80-40443636 (extn 3034)
Fax :91-80-40443535
http://www.thesolitairehotel.com/

THE NAWAB is our favorite Indian restaurant!! The service is excellent and so is the atmosphere (calm, quiet and intimate) an other star is the food!! Never greasy or overly seasons… The food is distinctive, perfectly cooked and whenever you eat w/others there you will constantly dip into one another’s sauces just to try the lovely new flavours. The few dishes like Kachche gosht parda biriyani, Murg Angara, Dal nawabi & Chooza makhani are our signature dishes. This restaurant deserves for its style, service & food

NawabThali (lunch) – Rs 250*
The Thali consists of a Starter, veg / non veg dishes, rice and lentil items accompanied with assorted Rotis /Nan. To satisfy your we have a array of blissful desserts.

Afternoon Timing: 12.30 p.m to 3:30 p.m.
Have an unforgettable evening at the Nawab Restaurant and enjoy our delicious candlelight dinner, Including live Gazal music by skilled musicians (Except Mondays)

Evening timing: 7.00 pm to 11.30 p.m.
Dinner: We have a choice of Al-a-carte or special maharaja thali with Unlimited Kebabs & Food……………………

By G.Raghunathan (Executive chef of solitaire)

Hyderabadi kachche gosht parda biriyani (Dum Lamb Biryani )
An Innovative Idea and receipe of EXECUTIVE CHEF RAGHUNATHAN and prepared by MASTER CHEF MOHAN LAL from The Solitaire Hotel, Bangalore. This biriyani is cooked with Lamb & rice, cooked in dum with covered whole wheat flour flour dough

Ingredients
Onions - 4nos.
Oil and ghee in the proportion of 1:1 - 250ml
Mutton or lamb, diced - 1kg
Ginger paste - 1tbsp.
Garlic paste - 1tbsp.
Garam Masala Powder - 10g
Chilli Powder - 15g
Turmeric powder - 8-10g
Green chillies, chopped - 4-6nos.
Salt - To taste
Coriander, chopped - 1bunch
Mint, chopped - 1bunch
Yoghurt - 300ml
Saffron strands, soaked in hot milk – 10gm
India Gate Basmati Rice, washed and soaked in water for 20 min - 1kg
Juice of 1 lemon.

Method
Slice onions thinly, apply salt and keep aside.
saute with oil and ghee till golden brown, drain and keep aside.
Marinate the lamb with the above ingredients from 4 to 13 and the browned onions.
Pour the saffron, soaked in hot milk, over the lamb.
Place the marinated lamb in a thick bottom vessel
In a separate vessel,soak the rice for 10 mts and drain the water from the soaked rice and add it to the boiling water.Cook the rice seperate, strain it and spread it evenly over the marinated meat. Cover the pot and seal with whole wheat flour dough. Keep vessel on high fire for a few minutes.Transfer the pot to a hot oven for 20 mts.