(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

"  POLENTATA  "

SATURDAY 23rd NOVEMBER

 @StairWay Kitchen 8pm

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

In this dinner we would like you to bring to the most famous  dish in Italy since the 16th century, "POLENTA"

It often happen that a nation will identify themselves  with their traditional food. For Italians "pasta and pizza" are the most famous dishes which make Italian food "Italian". However there is a dish, especially in Northern Italy that does not get the recognition but for sure it makes the third most important dish eaten since Roman times.Humble, versatile, satisfying and always good POLENTA.

The history of polenta is the history of old generations of people. A very ancient dish, in remote times it was made with poor cereals or beans, until maize came from America.
The highest point in the polenta tradition is to consume it on the wooden board, placed on the common table with all the family around, like it was at the time of the traditional patriarchal families. Polenta is eaten, if spread on a dish, in a circle starting from the outer part and proceeding all around until the final little piece in the center is reached
In the worls of cooking just a few dishes have the stigma attached to their preparation as POLENTA does. In our village old genaration of people still make POLENTA in the old fashioned way using a round bottom copper pot called Paiolo and a lond wooden spoon called Tarello.

The process to make POLENTA still does need attention and constant stirring for about 50 mins.Nowadays has been also  invented a "quick" Polenta which takes less than 10 mins to be ready but..the less said about it better it is.In our dinner we will use the old fashion POLENTA flour.

The key to the popolarity of POLENTA is its sheer versitile and it can be served with nearly everything and that is why it became soo popular all over Italy always valorizing what every regions produce.

POLENTA can be yellow or white, POLENTA can be eaten roasted or soft or  fried and...stop writing Leo it's now time to see how Italians eat this amazing, versitile, unique and famous dish POLENTA.

It often happens that a nation of people will identify themselves as a distinct culture by their traditional foods. For Italians, it always seems both pasta and pizza are the cornerstones of what makes Italian food "Italian". However, there is a staple food of Northern Italy that does not get the recognition, but certainly makes up the third aspect of the Italian food trinity: Humble, yet versatile and satisfying polenta - See more at: http://www.lifeinitaly.com/food/polenta.asp#sthash.Fxa86rwc.dpuf

It often happens that a nation of people will identify themselves as a distinct culture by their traditional foods. For Italians, it always seems both pasta and pizza are the cornerstones of what makes Italian food "Italian". However, there is a staple food of Northern Italy that does not get the recognition, but certainly makes up the third aspect of the Italian food trinity: Humble, yet versatile and satisfying polenta - See more at: http://www.lifeinitaly.com/food/polenta.asp#sthash.Fxa86rwc.dpuf

It often happens that a nation of people will identify themselves as a distinct culture by their traditional foods. For Italians, it always seems both pasta and pizza are the cornerstones of what makes Italian food "Italian". However, there is a staple food of Northern Italy that does not get the recognition, but certainly makes up the third aspect of the Italian food trinity: Humble, yet versatile and satisfying polenta - See more at: http://www.lifeinitaly.com/food/polenta.asp#sthash.Fxa86rwc.dpuf

MENU':

"Crostini di Polenta"
Baked Polenta crostini topped with:

Pate' di fave e Pecorino with Lardo di Colonnata : Baked Polenta crostini topped with Broadbean and Pecorino Romano cheese cream and thin slices of melt in the mouth Lardo from Colonnata (delicious cured and spiced pork fat from Tuscany)

Pate di radicchio e gorgonzola con noci: a classic yet to die for combination of Radicchio, Gorgonzola cheese and Walnut cream.

Baccala' mantecato: Venetian style salt cod cooked in milk and marinated with garlic and parsley.

Nests of Polenta whit Sausage from Mantua
Soft yellow Polenta in tomato sauce with our special sausages from Mantua

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

Polenta Taragna, originally from the Valtellina region, up in the North of Italy, and from the valleys around the cities of Bergamo and Breascia comes in a characteristic dark colour due to the mixture of buckwheat and cornmeal flour. We serve it topped with Stef's signature Mushroom and Autumn black Truffle sautee ( tossed with garlic and herbs)

Polenta bianca con seppioline in umido
Polenta Bianca is typical of Veneto region  and the main characteristis is the colour white because made with white cornmeal. Squid stew with white Polenta.

Polenta morbida con brasato di manzo al barolo
Your tregular yellow Polenta is not necessarily boring as many of you think! Especially when served with a topping of tender beef slowly braised 8 hours in Barolo wine so to release all the flavours into the wine and absorb all the aromas from it.



Can we also make a dessert with POLENTA flour??...
I think yes :-) so... let's see what Stefano is going to make to surprise all of us

SUGGESTED DONATION £30
- 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

THE BOYS ARE BACK.....WILD STAFF

Saturday 9th November 

COD AND COURGETTE INVOLTINI ON A BED OF SWEET PEPPER SAUCE

CHESTNUT SEMIFREDDO WITH CAKI SAUCE

GUINEA FOWL SERVED WITH PEARA'

CHESTNUT SEMIFREDDO WITH CAKI SAUCE

HOME MADE LAMBRUSCO PASTA DOUGH RAVIOLI STUFFED WITH DUCK AND MASCARPONE CHEESE

STEFANO AND 3 OF OUR FOODIE LOVERS

ROSTI' DI PATATE WITH ROASTED QUAIL IN A TRUFFLE SAUCE

HOME MADE RAVIOLI STUFFED WITH DUCK AND MASCARPONE CHEESE

ROSTI' DI PATATE WITH ROASTED QUAIL IN A TRUFFLE SAUCE

COD AND COURGETTE INVOLTINI

Leo and the guests

AMAZING COMPANY

THE BOYS ARE BACK with...

WILD STUFF

SATURDAY 09th NOVEMBER 8pm @ Stairway Kitchen

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

November in Italy is very famous for its specialties. It is time to eat Chestnut at Calliera (village where we come from) Nearly everybody  has a Chestnut tree  or a Caki fruit tree, one of the most famous fruit of the season in Italy. It is also time to collect grapes in order to make our delicious  “Lambrusco” sparkly red wine. These are just a few of the  specialties of this month.

So..The winter is coming very soon  and in this dinner Stefano and I would like to bring you into some of these flavours that are characteristic of our home town, like "Pearà". 
Leo's mum is a specialist in making this amazing dish. "Pearà" is oryginally  made in Veneto region where Leo's father come from. It is a special, delicious sauce made with bread crumb, Grana Padan cheese, broth and a generous amount of pepper.
In order to make Giuseppe (Leo's father) happy Leo's mum year after year has improved her receipe and in our dinner we are going to use Gabriella's (Leo's mum) receipe.

In this secret dinner you will find other food lovers around the table in our nice living room in the hearth of Soho. 
Come along to our extravaganza food dinner and you will be amazed by our menu lovingly prepared by the talented chef Stefano and the sidekick Leo which is me J…

Remember our policy is BYO…in other words…the more wine you bring the more you will be drinking.

 Let’s now introduce you our menu:

ROSTI' DI PATATE WITH ROASTED QUAIL IN A TRUFFLE SAUCE

When Leo's mother used to  make Rostì di patate at home it was immediately party.They are potato cooked in such way that you can bite the crunchy outside and suddenly feel the soft inside melting in your mouth. This is the best company to our slowly roasted Quail topped with Stef's secret truffle sauce.

COD AND COURGETTE INVOLTINI ON A BED OF SWEET PEPPER SAUCE
Pan-fried cod wrapped in thin courgette slices served on a luscious bed of sweet pepper sauce.

HOME MADE RAVIOLI STUFFED WITH DUCK AND MASCARPONE CHEESE
Nonna  Teresa's old recipe never gets it wrong! Lambrusco based pasta dough is used to make some sinfully delicious homemade Ravioli stuffed with roasted Duck and Mascarpone cheese.

GUINEA FOWL SERVED WITH PEARA' 

 Roasted Guinea Fowl served with Peara', the most famous dish of the Veneto region.

Peara' is a delicious puree made from bread crumbs, beef bone marrow broth Parmsan Cheese and a generous pinch of black pepper to add to this classic a distinctive kick.

CHESTNUT SEMIFREDDO WITH CAKI SAUCE

Chestnut parfait served with a refreshing "CAKI" sauce. The Caki is a Chinese born fruit but European for adoption. Since 1800 Caki, with its sweet and slightly tangy flavour and its soft melting texture, delighted the tables of Northern Italian courts first and less noble, in titles but certainly not in taste for good food, palates afterwards.

 COFFEE

SUGGESTED DONATION £30
- 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

 

 HALLOWEEN 2013

Sauteed Squid, Prawn and Lobster with spinach and roasted Pumpkin with Fennel seeds

Pumpkin Pannacotta with Concord grape, Physalis coverd with dark choc and caramlized Kaky

Pumpkin ravioli

Pumpkin ravioli

Pumpkin and smoked Scamorza cheese risotto

As always at Stairway Kitchn amazing company

 

 

 

  THURSDAY 31st  OCTOBER 8pm

 

 

 

We have had to take a bit of break for 3 months from feeding our hungry food lovers but we are now back!!

We are very excited to be  back with one of our famous secret dinner....      

ooooooo         yessssss        it is:

                                                       PUMPKIN NIGHT

You will not believe at how versitile Pumpkin can be. In this dinner Stefano will cook Pumkin in many delicious ways..       

All dishes will be  carefully presented and we have lined up a sensational 5 courses menu' in the heart of SOHO..

Remember to bring your own beverage and as we always say...the more you bring the more you will be drinkinggggg :-) 

 

MENU:

 

 

 

 

PUMPKIN SOUP A delicious soft Pumkin cream with ricotta cheese and amaretti biscuits on top.

 

Home made PUMPKIN RAVIOLI  in butter and sage sauce sprinkled with roasted Almond and Cinnamon

 

PUMPKIN AND SMOKED SCAMORZA cheese RISOTTO

 

PRAWNS wrapped in PARMA HAM  SERVED ON A BABY SPINACH SALAD WITH BALSAMIC DRESSING

 

THE DESSERT IS A SURPRISE but I think you can all guess the main ingredient :-))  

 

 

 

 

::: suggested donation £30 :::