Hotel Express.lk: Taste & Toast

19/10/2024

As Much as Humans Love Animals, Animals Will Love Them Back...❤🍀😍
The bond between humans and animals is a beautiful and magical connection, filled with mutual care and affection.
📸 Photos Credit goes to respective owners.
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01/09/2024

https://youtu.be/XjBbmOFgY0Q?si=a-KqDEGbZTyh4PNh

බොරැල්ලේ කෝවිද හිමියන්ගේ අවසන් ධර්ම දේශනය | Boralle Kovida Thero Bana

05/08/2024

COMPRESSED WATERMELON

Compressed Watermelon served with Persian Feta, Olive Paste, Basil Pearls and Micro Herbs, dressed in a Balsamic Glaze and dusted with Oil Powder.

Ingredients

100g Persian Feta Cheese Watermelon Compress
½ Watermelon, fresh, cut into cubes for compressing (4cm x 4cm
100g Balsamic Vinegar
5g Salt
2g Pepper
375g Sugar
515ml Water
25ml Vodka
125g White Balsamic vinegar
3 bunches basil

Olive Paste
100g Olives
1 Bunch Basil
½ Bunch of Parsley
4 Stems of Mint
1 Garlic Clove
60ml Oil

Micro Greens
1pnt Micro Green Basil
1pnt Micro Purple Basil
1pnt Micro Red Kale
100g Kalamata Olives
4 bunch Basil
140ml Olive Oil
25g Tapioca Maltodextrin
1 Garlic cloves, crushed
½ Bunch of Parsley
4 Stems of Mint

Basil Pearls
60g Basil
140ml Water
1.8g Sodium Alginate
55g Sugar
500ml Water
2.5g Calcium Chloride

Oil Powder
80ml Oil
25g Maltodextrin
Tapioca Powder
Salt to taste

Methods and Directions
Watermelon Compress
Heat water and sugar over medium heat, stirring to dissolve all the sugar.
Once the mixture has come to a simmer, remove from heat, add flavours (basil, vodka, balsamic) and then cool.
Vacuum Seal Watermelon Cubes with the infusion syrup using a vacuum sealer machine. You want all of the liquid contracted into the watermelon when compressed in a vacuum machine.
Olive Paste
Plate all ingredients into a robot coupe and blitz until smooth. Make sure you get quality olives so it’s not too salty and overpowering for the dish.
Micro Greens
Toss all ingredients together.
Basil Pearls
Blend water and calcium chloride together for 20 seconds and reserve in a bowl.
In a saucepan combine sugar and water, bring to boil, remove from heat and add basil.
Puree for 1 minute until bright green then add sodium alginate.
Strain this liquid add it to the caviar tray and dispense it into a calcium bath*. Remove from the caviar tray once they form and rinse in clean water.
*Take your time when making this – try not to rush! You will get good quality pearls.

Oil Powder
Whisk together the salt, olive oil, and tapioca.
Maltodextrin until it becomes a powder, adding a bit more Maltodextrin if necessary.
Pass through a sieve to make it fluffier, if necessary.

05/08/2024

COLD AND CHILLI

A mango, lime and yoghurt soup, served deliciously chilled with a flavoursome chilli and lemongrass jelly accompanying it.

Ingredients

Chilled Soup
200g Mango Juice
100g Apple Cider
5g Honey
25g Lime Juice
300g Mango Puree
300g Plain Yoghurt
50g Cream

Jelly
185g Apple juice
10g Sugar
5g Lemongrass
1g Chilli flakes
10g Gelatin leaves

Methods and Directions

Chilled Soup
Bring mango juice, cider and honey to a boil. Add lime juice and place on ice water to cool.
Cut mango into cubes, add to the juice and mix in a blender.
Add yoghurt and mix well.
Whip the cream and fold it into the cold soup before serving.

Jelly
Soak gelatin leaves in cold water, and squeeze well. Bring apple juice, sugar, chilli flakes and lemongrass to a boil. Add gelatin, stir until dissolved, cool down on ice water and fill into moulds.

04/08/2024

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03/08/2024

COCONUT CUSTARD WITH CARAMEL SAUCE AND BANANA CHIPS

A Thai Caramel Custard steamed in bamboo is served with baby banana chips and a rich caramel sauce.

Ingredients
Thai Caramel Custard
125ml Coconut Milk
90g Brown Sugar
375ml Cream
120g Egg Yolk

Caramel Sauce
100g Sugar
400ml Cream

Banana Chips
3 Nam Wah Banana
200g Sugar
50ml Water

Methods and Directions

Thai Caramel Custard Method
Boil the coconut milk and the cream together in a small pot. Mix the egg yolk with the brown sugar and slowly add to the hot milk mixture, whisking at all times. Fill the mixture into a bamboo and steam for 12 minutes. Allow to cool.

Caramel Sauce Method
In a small pot caramelise the sugar until golden brown and add the cream slowly, let it boil for 2 more minutes and let it cool completely.

Banana Chips Method
Peel the Bananas and slice them very thin and then place them into a deep fryer at 200°C until golden brown. When taking out of the oil put them on disposable towels to get the excess oil out.
In a small pot boil the sugar and water until it starts to get a light brown colour.
Add the deep-fried banana chips and make sure they are covered all over. Remove from the pot place on a lightly oiled tray and let cool.

03/08/2024

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03/08/2024

Cinnamon Tea and Citrus citrus-crusted venison Fillet, Roasted Courgettes and Fennel accompanied by a Jus of Cinnamon Tea and Juniper

Ingredients

800g venison loin For the crust

1 tablespoon Dilmah Cinnamon Tea
2 oranges
1 tablespoon black peppercorns
1 tablespoon green peppercorns
½ tablespoon juniper berries
For the vegetables
280g fennel bulb
180g courgettes
3 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
Salt and pepper

Parsnip puree
5 parsnips
200ml cream
100g butter
Salt

Venison
2½ teaspoons Dilmah Cinnamon Tea
2 tablespoons oil
300ml jus

Methods and Directions
Bring the water, lime juice, orange juice, sugar and glucose syrup to the boil and simmer for 1min. Add the tea bags and brew for 4 minutes. Once brewed remove the tea bags from the syrup. Cool over ice then freeze in a paco jet beaker and pacify when needed or churn in an ice-cream machine.

For the vegetables
Preheat the oven to 180°C. Cut the fennel bulb into small wedges. Transfer to a bowl with one-third of the oil, season with salt and pepper and mix together. Place the coated fennel on a baking tray and roast for 8 minutes. Meanwhile, cut the courgettes so that they are approximately 5cm long, then cut into quarters. Place in the bowl used for the fennel add the rest of the oil and season with salt and pepper. Place the courgettes with the fennel and roast for another 8 minutes. Keep warm.

Parsnip puree
Peel and cut the parsnips into quarters lengthwise. Remove the woody core. Transfer into a saucepan and cover with water. Season with a good pinch of salt. Bring to the boil and simmer until tender (approximately 10 minutes). In another saucepan add the butter and cream together. Bring to a boil and remove from the heat. When the parsnips are tender, strain off the water. Transfer parsnips into a food processor and add ½ the cream mixture. Start to process adding a little at a time the remaining cream mixture until a fine silky texture is achieved. Taste and adjust seasoning with salt only. Keep warm.

Venison
Preheat the oven to 180°C. Remove the venison from the refrigerator and unwrap it. Heat the oil in a large frying pan until shimmering and seal the meat, two pieces at a time until an even browning is achieved on all sides. Roast until the desired cooking temperature is reached. About 4-5 minutes for rare. Once cooked remove from the cooking tray and leave to rest in a warm place, on a plate, covered with aluminium foil. Add the meat juices to the jus and heat. Add the tea and infuse for 4 minutes then strain.

03/08/2024

CINNAMON SPICED TEA-CRUSTED KANGAROO

Ingredients

Tea Crusted Kangaroo
6 tbsp Dilmah Ceylon Cinnamon Spice, loose-leaf tea
tsp whole coriander seeds
tsp whole black peppercorns
tsp star anise
tsp ground ginger
tsp salt
1 tbsp (packed) light brown sugar
1(680g) Kangaroo fillet
3 tbsp canola oil

Garnish
Cherry blossom

Honeyed Vegetables
1 carrot
1 zucchini
2 squash
50ml honey
50g butter

Parsnip Purée
2 small parsnips
1 garlic clove, sliced
1 shallot, diced
250ml milk
250ml water
Bay leaves
Whole black peppercorns

Methods and Directions

Tea Crusted Kangaroo
Combine the tea leaves, coriander, peppercorns, anise, ginger and salt in a spice grinder or mortar and pestle and finely grind together.
Transfer to a shallow plate and stir in the brown sugar. Mix well.
Cut the kangaroo into 1-inch thick and 1-inch wide strips.
Roll each strip in the canola oil, and then roll in the tea spice crust to coat well. Reserve the remaining oil.
Let sit for 10 minutes for the crust to set.
Lightly seal the kangaroo, then place the kangaroo in the oven at 180C and cook until rare to medium (approx. 2 minutes).
Once cooked, let rest and cool. Then roll in plastic wrap until tight. Slice thinly.

Honeyed Vegetables
Dice the vegetables, heat a pan and melt the butter.
Sweat the vegetables until soft and then add the honey.

Parsnip Purée
Peel and slice the parsnips. Heat a small pan and sweat the parsnips, garlic and shallots in butter.
Add the water and milk.
Add the bay leaves and peppercorns wrapped in a cloth for easy removal.
When cooked, strain and reserve the milk and water mix.
Add a small amount of water and milk mix to the parsnips and blend to a small consistency, add more milk mix if needed and season.

02/08/2024

CHOCOLATE, CITRUS AND TEA

A celebration of Dilmah’s English Breakfast Tea infused with chocolate glaze, milk foam, Agar Agar gel, tea-marinated orange segments and delicious crumble, all served with a decadent milk chocolate mousse topped with orange gel and honey crispies.

Ingredients

Milk Chocolate Mousse
150g Valrhona milk Chocolate
100g Cream
4g Gelatin
250g Whipped Cream
Chocolate Tea Glaze
3oog Sugar
200g Cream
150g Water
100g Cacao powder
13g Gelatin
10g Dilmah English Breakfast Tea
Tea Milk Foam
300g Full Fat Milk
30g Honey
1g Salt
4g English Breakfast Tea
Honey Crispies
65g Sugar
60g Glucose
70g Honey
40g Water
20g Baking Soda
Tea Gel
500ml Water
100g Honey
10g English Breakfast Tea
6g Agar Agar
Orange Gel
500ml Orange Juice
50g Honey
6g Agar Agar
Tea Infused Orange
100ml Orange Juice
20g Honey
2g English Breakfast Tea
1 Piece Orange
Tea Crumble
100g Sugar
100g Flour
100gr Butter
20g English Breakfast Tea

Methods and Directions

Chocolate Mousse
Boil sugar, cream and water. Add the cacao powder and boil for 2 minutes. Add gelatin to tea, and let infuse for 10 minutes. Strain and cool. Use this to glaze the chocolate mousse.
Chocolate Tea Glaze
Boil sugar, cream and water. Add the cacao powder and boil for 2 minutes. Add gelatin to tea, and let infuse for 10 minutes. Strain and cool. Use this to glaze the chocolate mousse.
Tea Milk Foam
Bring the milk with the honey to a boil, infuse the tea for 8 minutes, strain and add salt to taste. Make foamy with a hand blender.
Honey Crispies
Heat up the sugar, glucose, honey and water to 170°C. Take the pan off the fire and add the baking soda. Mix well and pour into a buttered dish. Let cool completely and break into small pieces.
Tea Gel
Boil everything together and let the tea infuse. Strain, let set and blitz.
Orange Gel
Boil everything together. Strain, let set and blitz.
Tea Infused Orange
Boil the orange juice with the honey, infuse it with the English Breakfast tea and marinate the orange in this.
Tea Crumble
Mix ingredients together, as for a traditional crumble, and bake in the oven for 20-25 minutes or until golden.

02/08/2024

CHUNKY CODFISH PÂTÉ WITH SEA URCHIN

Flavoured with a medley of Asian spices, lemongrass and shallots, served in a sea urchin shell with orange reduction.

Ingredients

150g Cod Fish
15g Sea Urchin Paste, to taste
Rempah Spicy Paste (made with 80g Lemongrass, 60g Young Ginger, 60g Shallots, 5g Turmeric and 10g Cooking Oil)
50g Cream
1 Whole Egg
Orange Reduction (made with 3 Oranges)

Methods and Directions

Blend all Rempah ingredients together and cook until the oil surfaces.
Dice cod fish into chunky cubes
Mix Rempah, cod fish, cream and the whole egg together to create a chunky paste
Spoon the paste into the sea urchin shell and steam at 85°C for 20 minutes
Drizzle with orange reduction and serve.

02/08/2024

CHICKEN PASTILLA

Ingredients

Chicken Filling
500g chicken thighs
100g onion
30g Ras el Hanout
75g almonds
30g coriander

Chicken Pastilla
1 pack filo pastry
100g butter melted
15 pieces metal ring (3cm diameter)
Powdered sugar

Methods and Directions

Chicken Filling
cut the onions to brunoise then sweat them in a frying pan.
Cut the chicken into 2cm pieces and then add this and the Ras el hanout to the pan with onions.
Bake this to a nice golden brown until the chicken is cooked.
Roast the almonds in an oven at 160C for approximately 15 minutes until golden brown.
Let this cool down, then chop it into smaller chunks. Pick the coriander leaves and chop finely. Put the fresh coriander and almond into the chicken mixture.

Chicken Pastilla
Cut the filo pastry into squares of 12cm.
Grease the rings with the butter.
Then add a layer of filo pastry. Brush the filo pastry with butter and put another layer on top.
Put the chicken filling in the middle and fold the edges of the filo pastry on top of the filling. Brush it with the butter.
Bake at 160C for approximately 20 minutes until golden brown.
Serve the pastilla at a warm temperature, and dust some powdered sugar on top.