The Answer to the Ultimate Question of Life, the Universe and Everything - 42

Hello old friends!
My sincerest apologies for getting so far behind on the posts. I could give you a million reasons why I haven't kept up to date, and all of them would be true and valid, but I'll save them for another time. Right now, I think I'd best just get back to writing and get on with posting! I have a few posts saved up so I'll be getting as many of them put up as I can, and I am working on the last few. There will be a full set of posts for this blog, I promise!
Head Chef x

For meal 42 we enjoyed an amazing Stuffed Focaccia, Proscuitto, Celeriac Remoulade, Dressed Mozzarella and Fresh Lemon & Lime Granita. And what an awesome meal it was! Right at the turn of the weather, just as things were getting warm and it was starting to feel like summer, we got to enjoy this gorgeous, fresh and seasonally appropriate compilation of all that is good about Mediterranean fare.

Let's begin with the focaccia. I am a self-confessed bread lover. I am sure it does no good for my body (I'm almost positive that I have some kind of a wheat allergy) and I am absolutely sure that it does no good for my waistline, but there is just something about fresh, warm bread that does it for me. It is so comforting and filling and I think it probably taps into some kind of early-days-of-civilisation need. OR maybe I just really like bread. Anyway, this particular focaccia was picked up at my local deli and then filled with a delicious array of grilled pepers, tomatoes, chilli, cheeses and spices. Though it was a touch messy to eat (the thing kept falling apart!), I do very highly recommend it!

The mozzarella ended up being a source of laughter at the table. My mum, thinking the chunks of dressed cheese was actually a dish of potatoes, loaded up her plate with the stuff and took a great big bite. She looked quite alarmed for a moment before commenting "um....these aren't potatoes, are they?........... is this cheese!?" before carefully returning much of the dish to the serving plate and sheepishly returning to her dinner. I can't imagine the horror of biting into what is meant to be a potato and discovering it to be soft, chewy and almost buttery in texture... but the look on her face said it all. At least it was delicious.

The celeriac remoulade ended up being a carrot remoulade, as I was not able to find any celeriac at the supermarket. (The following week, celeriac was available in abundance of course. But not when I actually needed it). But we did end up with a lovely and fresh mixture to go atop the prosciutto - which I must mention is my new favourite deli meat. Seriously. That stuff tastes good with everything! In true Mr Oliver style, the dish was packed full of flavour and had a really interesting mix of ingredients - and of course, was fuss free.

And finally, the granita. This stuff is GOOD. It is just. so. good. It was fabulous as a fresh dessert on its own, adorned with a handful of fresh raspberries to make it the perfect mixture of tart and sweet. It is really refreshing and I admit to sneaking back to the freezer for extra spoonfuls of it when nobody was looking! This would even be a really great base for an iced cocktail - a splash of tequila or maybe some vodka would easily transform this simple, light dessert into a truly awesome tipple for a hot summer afternoon. But don't take my word for it - best try it out for yourself!

So there it is. Done and dusted for another week! Next time we make Seared Pork Fillet & Catherine Wheel Sausage, Meaty Mushroom Sauce, Celeriac Smash and Garlicky Beans. We will also be having our youngest ever guest at the Challenge Dinner table (a very outspoken 6 year old, who I am sure will let me know if the meal is not up to scratch!). I've been looking forward to this one - anything with a mushroom sauce is reason to get excited!

Til then - Bon Appetit!