The team at Drake London are big fans of Italian cuisine, and we’re always ready to promote anything to do with great food! So we were delighted to be asked to launch a new recipe book by CEO of the luxury Bauer’s Hotel Collection, Francesca Bortolotto Possati and food writer, Csaba dalla Zorza.
‘Celebrate in Venice,’ featuring the best of Venetian food and culinary traditions, is an inspirational contribution to the lifestyle and cookery bookshelves. So we wanted our launch to be as relaxed and convivial as any of the recipes featured in the pages.
Held in the stunning Chelsea home of Lady Forte, Francesca Bortolotto Possati and all the guests, mingled with celebrities, award winning cookery writers and freelance food journalists, who were invited to the launch party by us. Journalists from Tatler, Country and Town House Magazine, House & Garden, World of Interiors, The Evening Standard, Conde Naste Traveller, and renowned photographers Uli Weber, David Brook and Chris Caldicott all loved the prosseco and canapés from the cookery book. The evening’s icing on the cake however, had to be the entrance of Jeremy Irons, who added an extra ‘frisson’ to a night that was already shaping up to be decidedly moreish. We were also delighted to feature in Tatler, where you can see some photographs from our book launch party.
So because it’s Autumn and a good time to get down to some serious comfort cooking, we thought we’d share with you one of our favourite recipes.
‘Venice is a city of spices…her Calli resemble little souks, where everyone shouts the quality of their wares. There is golden curry powder, sesame seeds as black as cuttlefish ink, and long fragrant cinnamon sticks, cardamom and vanilla pods, and mountains of peppers of all kinds, consistencies and colours.’ Celebrate in Venice, by Francesca Bortolotto Possati and Csaba dalla Zorza.
Enjoy!
Smooth Hound Fish Venetian-Style
“You can use many types of firm fleshed white fish for this recipe. In Venice, smooth hound is used in this version that Francesa Bortolotto Possati prepares at home”
Ingredients for two people:
300 – 350g fresh white fish
2 spring onions
1 tbsp fresh capers
½ cup white wine vinegar
Extra virgin olive oil
3 leaves flat leaved parsley
Freshly ground salt and pepper
Cut the fish into small slices and rinse well. Wash and slice the spring onions, then rinse the capers. You can leave them whole or chop them coarsely.
Heat a couple of tablespoons of olive oil in a frying pan and add the sliced spring onions. Sauté over a low heat for a couple of minutes. Season to taste with salt and pepper.
When the spring onions have softened slightly, add the fish to the pan and sauté for two minutes.
Add the white wine and turn up the heat slightly to allow it to evaporate, then turn the fish over.
Add the capers, salt the fish and cover with a lid. Cook for another 2-3 minutes in total.
The fish is ready when the fish is white and firm, but not hard. The cooking time depends on the size of the slices. Add the chopped parsley leaves when almost cooked. Tilt the pan a little to coat the fish evenly. Then transfer the slices to the plates, seasoning with salt and pepper if necessary. Serve piping hot.