Dessert was a Gordon Ramsay chocolate mousse with some Crunchie bars running through it. WOW. It was rich, but chocolate-y delicious. You'll want a glass of milk or something after.
The Risotto
PARSLEY-WALNUT PESTO
3 tablespoons chopped walnuts, toasted
1¼ cups loosely packed fresh flat-leaf parsley leaves
1 tablespoon roasted garlic
¼ cup olive oil
Kosher salt and freshly ground pepper
3 red beets, scrubbed
2 ½ tablespoons olive oil
Kosher salt and freshly ground white pepper
3 tablespoons unsalted butter
1 cup chopped leek, rinsed
1 cup chopped yellow onions
1 large shallot, minced
1 ½ cups Arborio rice
1 cup Syrah or other dry red wine
4 ½ cups vegetable or chicken stock, heated
¾ cup crumbled Gorgonzola cheese
Diced yellow tomato or yellow bell pepper,for garnish
TO MAKE THE PESTO, In a food processor, combine the walnuts, parsley, and roasted garlic and process until smooth. With the machine running, gradually drizzle in the oil to make an emulsified sauce. Season with salt and pepper. Transfer to a bowl, cover, and refrigerate.
Preheat the oven to 375°F. Coat the beets with 1/2 tablespoon of the olive oil and place in a roasting pan. Sprinkle with salt and pepper. Bake until tender when pierced wirh a knife, 45 to 50 minutes. Remove from the oven and let cool. Peel, dice, and set aside. In a large sa lite pan or skillet, melt the butter with the remaining 2 tablespoons olive oil over medium heat. Add the leek, onions, and shallot and saute until they begin to soften, 7 to 8 minutes.
Add the rice to the leek mixture and saute until opaque. Add the wine and simmer, stirring constantly, until all the liquid is completely absorbed. Add 2 cups of the heated stock and simmer until the liquid is absorbed. Continue adding the stock in 1/2-cup increments and stirring until each addition is absorbed and the rice is al dente (firm but cooked through). Stir in the Gorgonzola and beets and heat through. Season with salt and pepper.
Divide the risotto among warmed pasta or shallow soup bowls. Dollop pesto on top or around the rims. Garnish with diced tomatoes or bell pepper. Serve at once.
The Mousse
150 g dark chocolate, in pieces, plus an extra 25g for grating
2 chocolate-coated honeycomb bars (Crunchie bars)
100 g caster sugar
1 teaspoon liquid glucose
2 tablespoons water
2 large egg whites
100 ml creme fraiche
1-2 tablespoon Kahlua or other coffee liqueur (optional)
Melt the chocolate in a heatproof bowl set over a pan of simmering water. Meanwhile, put the honeycomb bars into the freezer for 10 minutes. When the chocolate as melted, remove from the heat and set aside.
For the meringue, put the sugar, liquid glucose and water into a saucepan and place over a low heat until the sugar dissolves, stirring a couple of times. Increase the heat and boil the syrup until it registers 120C on a candy thermometer; (i.e., the 'hard ball stage', when a little drop of the hot syrup dropped into a glass of water hardens to form a clear ball).
Meanwhile, beat the egg whites in a clean, grease-free bowl to stiff peaks. With the beaters working, slowly trickle the hot syrup onto the egg whites. Continue to whisk until the egg whites are smooth, glossy and have tripled in volume. The sides of the bowl should no longer feel hot.
Add the creme fraiche to the melted chocolate and whisk to combine. Fold the chocolate into the meringue, followed by the coffee liqueur, if using.
Remove the wrapper from one of the chilled honeycomb bars and wrap in a clean tea towel. Place on a board and lightly bash with a rolling pin to crush the honeycomb. Open up the tea towel and tip the crushed honeycomb into the mousse, then gently fold through with a spatula.
Spoon the mousse into small serving dishes set on a tray. Grate over a layer of chocolate-coated honeycomb, followed by a layer of chocolate. Chill for a few hours before serving.
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