Food Trail @ TAJ

I got selected for Food Trail in Taj group of hotels as a part of campus recruitment after completing the written test and group discussion. I did my food trail in Taj Savoy, Ooty. They asked me to prepare a 4 course menu of any cuisine. I compiled a 4 course Italian menu which is as follows.

MENU

Fried Eggplant Balls

Lovely Linguine

Chicken Marsala

Zabaione

Appetizer, Pasta, Main Course and Dessert

Recipes for the above are as follows. Thanks to Mr.Sridhar, my staff for providing me the recipes.

FRIED EGGPLANT BALLS

Ingredients:

3/4 eggplant
50 gm grated pecorino cheese
1 Tbsp. chopped Italian parsley
1/2 Tbsp. chopped basil
3 Tbsp. dry bread crumbs
1 egg
1 garlic clove crushed
oil to fry

Instructions:

1. Clean the eggplant and halve it. Put them in a pan and cover them with water. When the water starts to boil, cook them for 45 minutes.
2. Remove them from the water, strain and let them cool.
3. Remove the skin and the seeds then cut the eggplant into small pieces.
4. Add them to a bowl with the others ingredients and mix well.
5. Roll the mixture into small balls about the size of a walnut.
6. Heat the frying oil and when hot add a few balls at a time.
7. Deep fry them until they are brown.
8. Place them on paper towels to absorb the excess of oil.
9. Serve once they have cooled off a little bit.

LOVELY LINGUINE

Ingredients:

• 55 g uncooked linguine pasta
• 4 ml olive oil
• 20 g butter
• 3/8 clove garlic, chopped
• 0.6 g fresh thyme leaves
• 5/8 roasted red peppers, drained and coarsely chopped

Directions:

1. Bring a large pot of lightly salted water to a boil. Add linguine and olive oil, cook for 8 to 10 minutes, until al dente, and drain.

2. Melt 2 tablespoons butter in a saucepan over medium heat. Stir in garlic, and cook until golden brown. Mix in remaining butter, thyme, and roasted red peppers. Continue to cook and stir until heated through. Serve over the cooked pasta.

CHICKEN MARSALA

Ingredients:

· 8 g all-purpose flour for coating

· 0.8 g salt

· 0.1 g ground black pepper

· 0.2 g dried oregano

· 1 skinless, boneless chicken breast halves - pounded 1/4 inch thick

· 15 g butter

· 15 ml olive oil

· 20 g sliced mushrooms

· 30 ml Marsala wine

· 15 ml cooking sherry

Directions:

1. In a shallow dish or bowl, mix together the flour, salt, pepper and oregano. Coat chicken pieces in flour mixture.
2. In a large skillet, melt butter in oil over medium heat. Place chicken in the pan, and lightly brown. Turn over chicken pieces, and add mushrooms. Pour in wine and sherry. Cover skillet; simmer chicken 10 minutes, turning once, until no longer pink and juices run clear.

ZABAGLIONE or ZABAIONE

Ingredients:

• 1-1/4 egg yolks
• 25 g white sugar
• 20 ml Marsala wine

Directions:

1. In top of a double boiler over simmering water, mix together egg yolks and sugar until smooth. Stir in Marsala wine. Continue to cook and stir constantly until mixture thickens and bubbles start to form. Remove from heat and serve immediately.