Cooking up a storm with Millennium Hotels

I love to cook. Trying new recipes, new flavours and ingredients is always something that excites me. I do worry that I won't like what I make or that it won't be right, but most of the time it tastes really good! When Millennium Hotels asked if I'd like to try and make a recipe created by chef Andrew Scott who works in the Copthorne Hotel in Newcastle I was more than up for it. It was a mixture of items that I hadn't really thought would go but I thought I'd give it a shot! I slightly altered the recipe to make this dish a bit more hearty and also because it was quite vague when it came to the mint, but you can find the original on the Millennium Hotels website.

Buffalo mozzarella with Parma ham, asparagus, pea purée, mint, and cherry tomatoes drizzled with lemon and lime olive oil

Serves 2

2 balls of buffalo mozzarella (chopped into chunks/slices)
8 Asparagus
150ml Whipping Cream
150g Peas (can use frozen)
6 Mint leaves
8 Cherry tomatoes cut in half
Juice of a lemon
50ml Olive Oil
50g Selection of salad leaves (a bag of mixed leaves from the supermarket will do!)
1/2 an Onion (finely chopped)
4 slices of Parma ham
A handful of pine kernels

Method

1. Blanch the asparagus by placing them in a pan of boiling water for around 4-5 minutes.

2. Time to make the pea puree. Sweat the onion by adding the onion to a pan and putting a lid over. Leave this for around 10 minutes making sure to monitor so it doesn't burn or stick to the bottom. If this happens, turn the heat down. When this is done add the peas (if frozen leave to defrost for a while). Put the cream in your blender and add the onion and peas. Then add the six mint leaves. Blitz and season to taste.

3. Create the zesty dressing by adding the lemon to the olive oil and whisking.

4. Arrange the Parma ham, mozzarella, tomatoes, salad and asparagus on a plate. Blob the puree on the plate, drizzle the olive oil/lemon dressing and sprinkle the pine kernels.

 

There you have your finished dish! I think this would be great for a starter or if you wanted a healthy veggie-filled lunch.

What do you think? Would you make this?

*Ingredients were provided to make the dish at home. All opinions are my own.