On saturday 7th June we hosted a "NONNA TERESA MENU"
In this dinner Stefano and I  showed what people would eat if they lived at "Calliera", a very small small village (around 180 people) in the province of Mantua where nonna Teresa and I (Leo) used to live.

OMG what a night!! really really FANTASTICA, 11 amazing people..

Roasted saddle of rabbit flavoured tyme served with slow cooked stew sweet pepper

home made parcels served in chicken broth. 
Calliera (the place where we come from) is very famous for its "BEVR'IN VIN with Lambrusco wine mixed with your broth to make this dish even more special.

Bruschetta topped with SALSA VERDE made using
Anchovies, green pepper blanched in vinegar and boiled eggs.

Bruschetta topped with ZUCCHINE TRIFOLATE. 
Sauteed courgette

POLENTA with chicken liver in a light  tomato and vegetable stew.

Apple cake with zabaione

NONNA TERESA'S MENU

SATURDAY 7th JUNE 8pm

@ Stairway Kitchen

 

In this dinner Stefano and I have lined up areally interesting menu . We are going to show you what you would eat if you lived at "Calliera", a very small small village (around 180 people) in the province of Mantua where nonna Teresa and I used to live.

Stefano has taken some of the best receipes that his grand mother Teresa used to make for him when he was child.
As nonna Teresa and I lived in the same small village, this menu brings me back there and I can't wait till Sat 7th June. This menu is inspired to what we usually eat over special occasions worth celebrating or when we wake up and we've got that little something going on that makes us crave for some treat, something  from the usual pasta.

MENU: £33

- BIS DI BRUSCHETTE:

- Bruschetta topped with ZUCCHINE TRIFOLATE. 
Sauteed courgette, an unusual, popular and versatile          vegetable a precious ally to this recipe with parsley 
and a touch of  chilli.

- Bruschetta topped with SALSA VERDE made using
Anchovies, green pepper blanched in vinegar and boiled eggs.



- SOFT POLENTA CON FEGATINI DI POLLO:
Here is one of the most favourite dish a Calliera. Humble, versatile, satisfying and always good soft POLENTA with chicken liver in a light  tomato and vegetable stew.


- AGNOLI IN BRODO:
Agnoli is one of the most famous dish in Lombardy region and where we live they are normally eaten on Sunday lunch or dinner. They are home made parcels served in chicken broth. 
Calliera (the place where we come from) is very famous for its "BEVR'IN VIN and here we will give you the option to try it with Lambrusco wine mixed with your broth to make this dish even more special.


- CONIGLIO ARROSTO CON PEPERONATA:
 Roasted saddle of rabbit flavoured tyme served with slow cooked stew sweet pepper called Peperonata, one of those “I almost ate the whole batch” dishes, a perfect combination tonight!


-TORTA DI MELE CON ZABAGLIONE:
What Stefano is going to make tonight is a really classic Italian cake that brings me back 20 years. I still remember eating it, when I was child,  for breakfast, snack in the afternoon or before going to bed, basically it didn't never last long
Apple cake with Zabaglione the classic sweet that you don’t encounter much any more on restaurant menus, let alone on home tables. That’s a shame, because it’s truly delicious and supremely versatile, equally suited to serve on its own or  with cakes as a sweet ending to an important meal.Tonight a Stairway you can have a "sweet happy ending" :-)

 

 SUGGESTED DONATION £33

- BRING YOUR OWN BOTTLE IS THE POLICY AT OUR SUPPER CLUB,

   IN OTHER WORDS:THE MORE YOU BRING AT OUR  EVENT,

   THE MORE YOU’LL BE DRINKING.
- DON'T FORGET TO TELL US IF YOU HAVE ANY ALLERGIES 
- DINNER START AT 8PM

CARNEVALE  
             SATURDAY ^{8th MARCH} 8pm


        ...CLICK HERE TO BOOK YOUR SEAT...

Carnevale,  Carnevale and Carnevale! In Italy it's Carnevale time, 40 days before Easter the magic word is Carnevale, it's parties and it's specialites.

Carnevale is also called "Martedi' grasso" (the most famous day is the last Tuesday 40 days before Easter. It's a special day where people can enjoy the more indulgent foods before the period of lent).

Carnevale is celebrated as a huge festival all over Italy with parades, music and masks. Masks are the main attraction  for a very good Carnevale and it is undoubtedly the happiest festival of the year, the most important day for children and the most transgressive for adults.
Carnevale is the time where people put their lives on hold to laugh at themselves.

Carnevale is very famous for its 'dolci' FRAPPE, RAVIOLI, CHIACCHERE, FRITTELLE, CASTAGNOLE, STRUFFOLI , SFRAPPOLE, FRITTELLE, LATTUGHE..these are some of the best known but each region has special delicious food recipes for Carnevale. In the UK it's known as pancake day.  What is a strange is that Italians make these amazing specialities only on these days. I keep telling my mum they deserve to be on the table more often during the year but no way! Tradtion is to only eat these foods in this period and then to wait a whole year before indulging again, making the wait worthwhile.

In this dinner Stefano and I would like to bring you the atmosphere that you would find in Italy if you were there, entertwining the classic Italian dishes of Carnevale and the ever loved British pancakes.

At Stairway Kitchen you will meet other food lovers as usual and who knows maybe new frienships....Remember our policy... BYO (bring your own bottle) in other words the more you bring the more you will be drinking and... expect a lot of fun and much more than your average restaurant outing can give you.

MENU:

Wasabi Blini with Tuna and Chive Tartare 

MINIATURE SAVOURY PANCAKES INFUSED WITH WASABI AND TUNA TARTARE WITH CHIVES.

Chestnut infused pancake with braised radicchio in balsamic, pear and pecorino cheese (a medium mature Sardinian sheep milk cheese)

Crespelle filled with Asparagus and Parmesan cheese

Crespelle is an Italian classic savoury pancake and tonight Stefano is going to filled it with bechamel sauce,  fried asparagus and aged parmigiano reggiano

Slow roasted duck breast simmered in orange on a Beetroot flavoured pancake

Selection of typical Carnival sweets 

Here Stefano is going to make a selection of the most famous Carneval sweets in Italy. One of these is Mantuan  "Lattughe" with nonna Teresa old receipe. Lattughe are a very friable sweets that are fried and finally are sprinkled with powdered sugar. Lattughe is a typical sweet for Carnival. Then Stefano is going to make...eh eh it is a surprise..let's see...

...CLICK HERE TO BOOK YOUR SEAT...


SUGGESTED DONATION £32

- BRING YOUR OWN BOTTLE IS THE POLICY AT OUR SUPPER CLUB,

   IN OTHER WORDS:THE MORE YOU BRING AT OUR  EVENT,

   THE MORE YOU’LL BE DRINKING.
- DON'T FORGET TO TELL US IF YOU HAVE ANY ALLERGIES 
- DINNER START AT 8PM

FRANCE    meet

STAIRWAY KITCHEN

Saturday 22nd February  8pm

 

 

 

  

 ...CLICK HERE TO BOOK YOUR SEAT... 

 

One of our best friends in London is "Lisetta", she comes from France. Since we opened our doors @ Stairway Kitchen she has nagged us to show what we can do with French food so we have created a fusion event: Italy-France.

There's always been a lot of competition between France and Italy over food. In both countries, there are regional spices that are favorites. Oregano, garlic, rosemary & olive oil are used a lot in Italy. France uses these as well but the flavors are more subtle. So..Italy vs France hmmm it’s like choosing which team to root for in a football match. Choosing between these two cuisines can be next to impossible because of all the delectable dishes these two countries have shared with the whole world.

So..why do we need to decide which is best? StairWay Kitchen has come up with the solution :-) why not mix the two cuisines for the ultimate supperclub?

In this menu Stefano reinvents some of the more famous French dishes adding an Italian touch. We have already made lots of dinners for Lisetta like the one we are tempting you with here so come and try this unique menu on Sat 22nd Feb and see if you as impressed as our French friend was. 

You will meet other food lovers and maybe even make some new friends. For those who have never been to a supperclub event or for those who need a refresher, make sure to come to StairWay Kitchen for amazing food, lots of fun and much more than your average restaurant outing can give you. 

 

 

MENU:

Salade Nicoise 

The traditional French salad with Stefano's knowledgeable touch: the freshest tuna, quail eggs, olives and a very special vinaigrette splashed all over it.

 

Creme Brulee Escalier

When you say "Creme Brulee" you might rightly think of a dessert but that's not the case here. At Stairway Kitchen we make things differently - taste our savory version made with Duck liver topped with crunchy burnt sugar and served with home made brioche. A sublimely delicate mousse with a silky smooth texture and a distinctive but not overpowering flavour. Guests usually ask for seconds!

 

Canard a l'orange Sicilienne

Confit duck leg cooked in sliced Sicilian orange, served as a salad on a bed of Rocket and Fennel shavings. Confit is a classic French dish - duck legs are marinated in coarse sea salt and then cooked very slowly in duck fat. A delicious & refined flavour explosion in your mouth.

 

Tarte Tatin aux l'Oignons Caramelises en Balsamico

A classic...dessert. This usually comes as an upside down apple tart but you will have it as a tasty, upside down starter made with caramelised red onion compote slowly cooked in Balsamic vinegar syrup - stop drooling!

 

Stairway Soupe a l'Oignon

Cheese onion soup with a gratin topping. Another French classic that Stefano is going to twist from top to bottom by adding some Taleggio cheese (a mildly tangy cows’ milk cheese from Lombardy) which gives the soup a completely new depth.

 

Bouillabaisse

The name of this dish is a compound of two verbs: to boil and to simmer. So expect a sublime, indulgent seafood stew influenced by Tuscany with incredibly fresh and tasty mussels, sea bass and prawns, fresh herbs, garlic and tomato.

 

Coq au vin Cacciatore

Slowly braised Chicken cooked in red wine with Italian pancetta, shallots, mushrooms and herbs - this dish may sound boringly normal however the additon of Italian pancetta lifts it to a new level, thick, meaty and packed with flavour.

 

Surprise Dessert

La piece de resistance! That's why we keep it secret or maybe we are just still deciding what to make :-) 

                       ...CLICK HERE TO BOOK YOUR SEAT...

FREESTYLE DINNER  

Sat 8th Feb

This is Leo and Stefano's 2014 version of some classic dishes; a reinvention of old recipe. In this dinner we wanted inspire food lovers with new combinations and new flavours to help get through the freezing winter and ....have a look at what you have missed :-))))

 

  

Nougat Mousse with caramelized orange and chocolate

Torrone (Nougat) has a long tradition in various regions all over Italy. It is normally eaten on it own but we thought to use it with chocolate chip ...Everyone loves chocolate and  with Nougat and caramelized orange it's just divine

Duck steak coated with walnut and served with roasted apple and red cabbage sauce

MonkFish with Fennel and Saffron in Verdicchio white wine sauce

MonkFish medallions with Clam and Saffron in Verdicchio white wine sauce

Pumpkin Ravioli served with home made Truffle butter, toasted Almond and Parmesan cheese

Aubergine ZUCCOTTO filled with Sardinian  pasta and Pecorino cheese cream 

 

  (FULLY BOOKED)

"FREESTYLE"

SATURDAY 8th FEBRUARY  8pm

@ StairWay to Heaven's Kitchen  

 

  CLICK HERE TO BOOK YOUR SEAT

 

And here we are in 2014 - ready for another exciting year full of surprises at Stairway Kitchen. 

For our first secret dinner Stefano and I have put together an excellent menu fit for Italian royalty. If the Borgia, Medici and Gonzaga's  families were still with us they would be served with food like this...

This is Stefano's 2014 version of some classic dishes; a reinvention of old recipes one of which is the famous Ravioli di Zucca , the traditional Mantuan (our city) home made pasta and one of the most popular pastas in Italy. Pumpkin ravioli is a very special dish because of its taste and flavour - the natural sweetness of the pumpkin joins the sweet & slightly spicy flavor of  the Mostarda Mantovana that gives the dish its characteristic sour flavor that makes it unique and unusual. In this menu the ravioli will be served with home made truffle butter, toasted almond and Parmesan cheese instead of the classic butter and sage sauce. 

We are in the middle of winter; it is wet and it is cold but have a look at what we have lined up for you hoping to inspire food lovers with new combinations and new flavours to help get through the freezing winter...       

                   

Be one of our 12 food lovers at our first 2014 secret supper club - a five course menu of which even the Gonzaga family would be proud.

 

MENU

- ZUCCOTTO DI MELANZANE RIPIENO DI FREGOLA SARDA CON CREMA DI PECORINO: Zuccotto in Italy is normally a creamy dessert but in this dinner Stefano wanted to turn it as a starter dish using vegetables. He is going to use Aubergine to make a little baskets which it'll be filled with toasted Sardinian durum wheat pasta grains and luscious Pecorino cheese cream. We have tried it twice with our friends and the response was amazing that's why we decided to propose you this excellent reenvented dish.

- BISTECCHINE DI ANATRA IMPANATE IN NOCI SERVITE CON MELE ARROSTITE E SALSA AL CAVOLO ROSSO : A famous dish with Duck  is Anatra all'arancia because it is part of the history of cooking. Thanks to Catherine de Medici, when she married Henry ii of France  brought with him to the French court all the best Florentine chefs of the time, who introduced many Tuscan dishes at court (including the duck in orange), which then became part of French cuisine. In this dish Stefano and I have reinvented this old receipr founding the perfect combination Walnut/Apple and red cabbage with Duck and here we are going to serve Duck steak coated in finely ground walnut served with roasted apple and dressed with red cabbage sauce.

- PUMPKIN RAVIOLI CON BURRO TARTUFATO, PARMIGGIANO E MANDORLE TOSTATE : The main characteristic of this dish is the combination of sweet tasting pumpkin with salty, savoury Parmesan cheese. Add this to the bitter-sweet flavour of the amaretti biscuits and spicy fruit Mostarda Mantovana then serve with home made truffle butter, toasted almond and Parmesan cheese - must be tasted to be believed.

 - MEDAGLIONI DI RANA PESCATRICE CON VOONGOLE SALTATE IN SALSA DI ZAFFERANO E VERDICCHIO : Monkfish is a unique, firm-textured and meaty white fish and in this receipe we are going to cut it in medallions then topped with saffron and clams sauted in Verdicchio wine from Marche region which has an elegant aromas of citrus and nuts, specifically lemon and bitter almonds which gives to the dish an extra hint to improve the flavour.

 - DESSERT MOUSSE AL TORRONE E CIOCCOLATO CON ARANCE CARAMELLATE: Torrone (Nougat) has a long tradition in various regions all over Italy. It is normally eaten on it own but we thought to use it with chocolate chip ...Everyone loves chocolate and  with Nougat and caramelized orange it's just divine.

 

 

 SUGGESTED DONATION £32
- BRING YOUR OWN BOTTLE IS THE POLICY AT OUR SUPPER CLUB,
   IN OTHER WORDS:THE MORE YOU BRING, THE MORE YOU’LL BE DRINKING  - DON'T FORGET TO TELL US IF YOU HAVE ANY ALLERGIES 
- DINNER START AT 8PM

 

 

 

 

             BUON APPETITO................BUON APPETITO

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

POLENTA NIGHT

Sat 23rd November

Discovering one of the most famous dishes in Italy: POLENTA and its combinations. 

It is common thinking at Pizza and Pasta talking about Italy but there is something special that hasn't got the recognition yet but for sure it makes the third most important dish eaten since Roman times. 

Humble, versatile, satisfying and always good POLENTA.

Squid stew with white Polenta

Pate' di fave e Pecorino with Lardo di Colonnata :

 

Pate di radicchio e gorgonzola con noci

 

Baccala' mantecato

 

Crostini di Polenta

The Hosts

Polenta and Polenta and Chocolate cakes

S

Nests of Polenta whit Sausage from Mantua

Polenta Taragna  (buckweat polenta) con funghi trifolati e Tartufo nero

 

Polenta Taragna  (buckweat polenta) con funghi trifolati e Tartufo nero