It’s summertime in Venice and we’ve been scouring the local fish markets in search of the best Italian delicacies from the sea to take back to the kitchen at our private apartment at the luxurious Villa F – a beautiful bespoke kitchen, to dish up some tasty seafood treats! We headed to the famous Campo de la Pesceria fish market by Rialto Bridge, Venice’s ancient fish, fruit and vegetable market which still sells some of the city’s finest produce from both land and sea. The Rialto market is located on the banks of the Grand Canal, where the mist from its waters and the energetic banter of the market sellers made us excited and ready to explore. With the bag of goodies we brought back with us this is what we decided to whip up, these recipes are from our cookbook, ‘Celebrate in Venice’.
Baked Scallops – This is a light, but sumptuous dish and perfect to serve your nearest and dearest at the beginning of a meal.
You will need…
1 garlic clove
3-4 sprigs of fresh parsley
1 lemon
2 tbsp of extra-virgin olive oil
6 scallops, with coral
1 tbsp of breadcrumbs
10g (1/4 oz) butter
Pre heat the oven to 220 degrees and line the pan with baking paper. Peel the garlic clove and chop it as finely as you can by hand, (if you use a mixer you’ll reduce it to a pulp). Chop the parsley, both leaves and part of the stalk, and put into a bowl along with the lemon and olive oil and mix well. Arrange the scallops onto the baking pan, and sprinkle the dressing over them along with a pinch of breadcrumbs. Put a small knob of butter on each scallop, then place into the oven and cook for 12-15 minutes. Let the scallops cool, serve and enjoy!
Baby squid Tempura – Treats like these are always a favourite with everyone, the paprika adds an instant kick and the tempura batter adds a new crispy dimension to the squid that few can resist…
Ingredients for 8 people
8 baby squid
5 tbsp rice flour
freshly ground salt
1 tsp paprika
1 L (33 ½ fl oz) good quality vegetable oil
Put the rice flour on a plate and season with the paprika and salt. Ask your trusted fish monger to clean the baby squid, then rinse them quickly under cold running water and pat them dry with kitchen paper. Coat them lightly with the rice flour, shaking off any excess. Heat the vegetable oil in a wok or large pan, without allowing it to smoke. Immerse the baby squid in the oil and let them fry for 2-3 minutes (depending on the size, then remove them with a slice and drain on some kitchen paper. Let them cool slightly, season with salt and serve while still hot.
Our guests are due to arrive at 7pm when our private butler will be on cue to help serve the drinks whilst we soak in the shimmering sunset and the stunning view from our drawing room at Villa F!
Reservations for Villa F can be made on http://www.bauerhotels.com/