3 rashers of rindless streaky smoked bacon
2 tablespoons oil for frying
1 slice of bread
2 handfuls of very young spinach or beet leaves
1 handful of young dandelion leaves, or watercress if not available
French dressing
12 Raw quail’s eggs

1. Cut the bacon across into thin strips. Brown them rapidly in the oil. Remove and drain on absorbent kitchen paper. Cut the bread into small dice and fry in the hot fat until evenly browned. Remove with a perforated spoon and drain on absorbent kitchen paper.
2. Wash and pick over spinach and dandelion leaves and pull them into small pieces, discarding any stalks or thick ribs. Dry well. Toss in the dressing and arrange on 4 individual plates.
3. Get a frying pan or shallow sauté pan of water bubbling on the heat. Break the quail’s eggs carefully on to a plate. Slide the eggs into the pan. Reduce the heat and poach for 1 minute. Remove from the pan and slip into bowl of warm water until ready for use.
4. Arrange 3 well-drained eggs per person on the salads. Add a sprinkling of bacon, then the fried croûtons, still warm, and serve immediately.

Wine: DRY WHITE

________________________________________

Excerpt from Leiths Cookery Bible

[Leith, P., and Waldegrave, C., (2003), Leiths Cookery Bible, 3rd edition, Bloomburys, UK]

SERVES 4

2 handfuls of bitter salad leaves, such as mâche, watercress, chicory, radicchio
2 tablespoons French dressing, made with walnut oil
2 tablespoon olive oil
1 duck breast, skinned and halved horizontally
55 g | 2 oz pinenuts

1. Wash and pick over the bitter salad leaves and pull them into small pieces. Dry well. Toss in the French dressing and arrange on 4 individual plates.
2. Heat the oil in a frying pan. Add the duck breast pieces and fry fairly fast to brown on both sides – about 3 minutes in all. They are done when they feel firm when pressed and are pink, not blue, when cut. Lift out on to a board.
3. Put the pinenuts into the frying pan and shake over the heat until pale brown and crisp.
4. Cut the duck diagonally into thin slices and scatter over the salad with pinenuts. Serve immediately

Wine: LIGHT/SOFT RED

________________________________________

Excerpt from Leiths Cookery Bible

[Leith, P., and Waldegrave, C., (2003), Leiths Cookery Bible, 3rd edition, Bloomburys, UK]

To make Bruschetta simply cut thick slices of French bread on the diagonal. Fry them in olive oil that has been infused with garlic until crisp on both sides. Drain well on absorbent paper. The toast should be crisp on the outside but still soft in the middle. Top with a large variety of toppings such as:

• Parma ham, rocket and parmesan cheese
• Grilled Haloumi cheese and beef tomatoes
• Grilled red and yellow peppers with olive oil and basil
• Grilled marinated aubergines with sundried tomatoes

________________________________________

Excerpt from Leiths Cookery Bible

[Leith, P., and Waldegrave, C., (2003), Leiths Cookery Bible, 3rd edition, Bloomburys, UK]

SERVES 6

6 tomatoes, peeled, deseeded and cut into slivers
1 cucumber, cubed
1 medium ripe melon, deseeded and cut into chunks
French dressing
1 tablespoon chopped fresh mint

1. Mix all the ingredients together with the French dressing and mint. Serve well chilled.

Wine: DRY WHITE

________________________________________

Excerpt from Leiths Cookery Bible

[Leith, P., and Waldegrave, C., (2003), Leiths Cookery Bible, 3rd edition, Bloomburys, UK]

SERVES 4

4 large flat mushrooms about 7.5 cm | 3 in diameter
Salt and freshly ground black pepper
70 g | 2 ½ oz pancetta or streaky bacon, diced
2 shallots, finely chopped
½ clove of garlic, crushed
55g | 2 oz fresh white breadcrumbs
1 tablespoon chopped fresh parsley
1 tablespoon Sercial Madeira or dry sherry
1 tablespoon freshly grated Parmesan cheese

1. Preheat the oven to 180 deg C | 350 deg F | gas mark 4.
2. Wipe the mushrooms and peel them if necessary. Cut off the stems, dice and set aside.
3. Put the mushrooms in a single layer into a shallow ovenproof dish. Season with salt and pepper.
4. Sauté the pancetta or bacon for 1 minute over a medium-high heat, then reduce the heat to medium and add the shallots. Cook for a further 4 minutes, stirring frequently.
5. Add the diced mushroom stalks and continue to cook until the pancetta is lightly browned and the shallots are golden (about 2 minutes).
6. Add the Garlic and cook for 1 further minute. Remove from heat.
7. Stir in the breadcrumbs, parsley and Madeira or sherry. Season to taste with salt and pepper.
8. Heap the stuffing mixture into the mushroom caps, pressing down lightly. Sprinkle with Parmesan cheese.
9. Bake in the oven for 20-25 minutes, or until the mushrooms are tender when pierced with a skewer and the stuffing is golden brown. Serve warm.

Wine: LIGHT RED

________________________________________

Excerpt from Leiths Cookery Bible

[Leith, P., and Waldegrave, C., (2003), Leiths Cookery Bible, 3rd edition, Bloomburys, UK]