While it is no secret that Shangri-La’s -
Eros Hotel has really upped their F&B offerings in the last year or so, it
is a pleasure to see that they are putting in every effort to stay on top of
their game. In an endeavor to present a richer experience to regulars and new
guests alike is the current Parmesan festival at Sorrento, their fantastic
Italian restaurant. Over a delicious lunch to kickstart the festival, the General Manager, Parmeet Singh Nayar
informs me that the restaurant has been awarded the Golden Q certification by the Italian
Chambers of Commerce, that recognizes authentic Italian restaurants outside
Italy.
The
Taste of Parmesan:
The Taste of Parmesan festival showcases
the gorgeous cheese that is 12, 24 and 36 months aged, respectively in a menu
specially crafted by Italian Chef Luigi
Ferraro and Executive Chef Neeraj
Tyagi. After the ceremonial opening of the 12 year aged Parmesan wheel we
tasted the three varieties before sitting down to have the curated meal and
found that as the cheese ages it becomes drier, the colour deepens and the
flavour intensifies.
The meal itself is a wine-paired one and a real tribute to Parmigiano Reggiano. Be ready
to enjoy Parmesan in many different ways: shavings, foam, brulee and gelato!
 |
| Top L-R: Semi-dried tomatoes and Parmesan foam salad; Duck risotto with 36 month Parmesan stravecchio. Middle: Chef Neeraj Tyagi and Chef Luigi Ferraro. Bottom L-R: Ravioli with Parmesan brûlée and Sous vide chicken. |
Expect to Eat:
You can sip on the sweet and sparkling Prosecco Sartori di Verona ‘Ti
Amo’ Brut while nibbling on a refreshing salad with semi dried tomatoes,
balsamic jelly, 24 month aged Parmesan shavings and 12 month parmesan foam (Rs 695). The
semi-dried tomatoes lack the tartness of sundried tomatoes while adding a
lovely texture to the salad. Ravioli comes stuffed with a gorgeously light and
flavourful 24 month aged Parmesan brulee, topped with morel mushroom and dainty
greens (Rs 1,095) {I have shared Chef Luigi’s recipe for this beautiful dish below}. This
is paired with a delicate white Masi'Levarie' Soave Classico DOC, Garganega.
Then there’s a choice between a homemade fettuccine with forest wild mushrooms
and 12 month aged Parmesan cheese sauce (Rs 1,095) and risotto with stewed duck leg,
breast confit truffle pate and gelato of 36 month Parmesan stravecchio (Rs 1,495). I
absolutely love the gelato of the latter, but would prefer the intense flavours
of wild mushrooms in the former. After experiencing wonderful flavours so far
the sous vide and wood fired oven-cooked chicken, spinach and 24 month aged
Parmesan sauce doesn’t pack in a punch (Rs 1,395). But the accompanying Saracena Moscato
is a beautiful red wine, a smooth balance of merlot and cabernet.
 |
| Dessert: 12 month Parmesan cheesecake with 24 month Parmesan gelato, wild berries and spiced chocolate sauce. |
A Dessert that cannot be missed:
I usually don’t describe dishes as “the best
in the city”, but this one deserves to be mentioned so. Easily the best
cheesecake in town, the 12 month
aged Parmesan cheesecake with 24 month aged Parmesan gelato,
wild
forest fruits and spicy chocolate sauce (Rs 695) is
probably the best thing you will eat in a long time. Perfection personified, I
hope it finds its way into the regular menu of Sorrento. But I would suggest
that you don’t risk awaiting that inclusion and go and have it now!
Details
Taste of Parmesan: 16
September to 26 September, 2016.
Sorrento, Shangri - La’s -
Eros Hotel, New Delhi, 19 Ashoka Road, Connaught Place, New Delhi 110001.
Timings Lunch 12.30pm -
2.45pm; Dinner 7.30pm – midnight.
Tel 011 41191032.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Handmade
ravioli stuffed with 24 month aged Parmigiano reggiano Crème brûlée
gently
cooked with morels, asparagus, green peas and cherry tomato confit.
Recipe: Serves 2
Ingredient Quantity
Pasta Dough
Semolina flour 100
gms
Refined Flour 100
gms
Egg yolk 6
Whole egg 1
Saffron infused water 10
ml
Prep:
Mix all the above ingredients and make a
firm dough. Keep it under a wet kitchen towel for 30 min. Using a pasta sheet
roller attachment, roll out pasta dough into thin sheets. Cover with wet
kitchen towel.
Stuffing
Egg yolk 100
gms
Cooking cream 200
gms
Full fat milk 50
gms
Parmesan cheese 60
gms, extra for serving
Prep:
Mix all the ingredients in a bowl and whisk
with a help of hand blender until the mixture is homogenised. Once the mixture is ready, pour into 2 inch
deep flat tray, cover it with aluminum foil and steam the mixture in combi oven
or steamer for 15-18 minutes. Once it is ready, cool it in the refrigerator for
5 hours.
Sauce
Unsalted butter 20
gms
Sage few
leaves
Olive oil 15
ml
Asparagus tips 30
gms
Morel mushrooms, soaked 10
gms
Green peas 20
gms
Cherry tomatoes 20
gms
Basil few
leaves
Balsamic reduction 10 ml
Micro greens few
for garnish
Method:
Use a round dough cutter to cut out pasta
sheets for the ravioli. Then take a plastic piping bag and fill it with the
cold egg-and-cheese mixture. Pipe it in the centre of the cut round pasta
sheets and cover with another sheet of pasta to form a uniform-shaped ravioli.
Blanch these prepared raviolis in boiling salted water for 5 minutes.
In a heavy bottom saucepan, heat butter,
some torn sage and basil leaves. Sauté the asparagus tips, cherry tomato green
peas and morel mushroom.
Add little stock and steep in blanched
raviolis. Simmered for 2 minutes, adjust the seasoning. Serve hot with garnish
of fresh micro greens, drops of balsamic reduction, grated Parmesan and dash of
extra virgin olive oil.
