London Shell Co. Cookalong – Mezza And Passionfruit & Stem Ginger Pavlova – #LetsTalkSmellAndTaste

The menu, ingredients and cookalong prep instructions are below –
Menu
Mezze – Whipped Wild Garlic Labneh, Candied Walnut Tabouleh, Smoky Aubergine Dip – Iced Vegetable Crudités, Salted Anchovy Flatbread
Dessert – Passionfruit & Stem Ginger Pavlova, Lime Sorbet
Ingredients
Mezze
- Labneh 250g
Greek Yoghurt (mixed with a pinch of salt and hung in a jay cloth lined sieve for 4hrs)
1 Lemon
1 Garlic Clove
A few Chives (Mint, Dill or Parsley will do)
- Tabouleh
75g Walnuts (toasted & skins rubbed off then dusted with sugar and returned to the oven until caramelised and sticky)
25g Raisins (soaked in Boiling water then drained and dried off)
50g Cous Cous (rehydrated in boiling water)
Parsley
Mint
Cumin
Olive oil
- Aubergine Dip
1 Large Aubergine (pricked with the tip of a sharp knife and roasted until very soft)
Olive Oil
Smoked Paprika
Garlic
- Raw Veg
1 Gem Lettuce
6 Radishes
1/3 cucumber Ice
- Flatbread (optional, shop bought flatbreads or pitas would be an acceptable substitute)
250g Bread flour (mixed with 5g salt)
150g lukewarm water with 3g dried yeast added
Olive oil
Garlic
6 Anchovy Fillets
Chilli Flakes
- Pavlova
-Meringue (optional. Either made the night before or shop bought ones would be fine)
Eggs
Sugar
Cornflour
Cream of Tartar
250ml Double Cream
2 Passion Fruit
Stem Ginger
Lemon or Lime Sorbet
Inventory
Frying pan
Sauce Pan
Scales
Oven trays
Mixing Bowls
Whisk
Electric Mixer
Sharp Knife
Sieve
Jay Cloth
Greaseproof Paper (if making meringues)
Jobs to be done the night or morning before cook along
- Meringue
Set the oven to 150 and line a baking tray with greaseproof paper. Carefully separate 2 egg whites in to a meticulously cleaned mixing bowl (any traces of egg yolk, grease, washing up liquid or dirt could stop your meringues rising). Whisk the egg whites until frothy then add a pinch of cream of tartar. Keep whisking until the egg white forms stiff peaks. Then add 125g sugar 1 spoon at a time whisking as you go until it’s all incorporated and shiny. Now fold in 1 teaspoon of sifted cornflour and a pinch of salt. Spoon out the meringue in 2 large dollops on to the greaseproof lined tray leaving a small gap so they don’t stick together. With the back of a serving spoon work an impression in to the middle of the meringue pushing the edges out as you go (that’s where all the cream and fruit is going to sit). Now put it in the oven and immediately turn the heat down to 100 and cook for an hour and a half. Turn the oven off and allow to cool down completely. Store in an airtight container until serving.
- Flatbread
Sift 250g Stong bread flour in to a mixing bowl and mix through 5g salt. In a measuring jug add 150ml lukewarm water and 3g dried yeast, mix until dissolved and leave to stand for 30mins. Now make a well in the middle of the flour and pour in the water and yeast mixture along with a tablespoon of olive oil. Now slowly mix together until a dough begins to form. Turn out on a lightly floured work surface and kneed for 5 minutes until the dough is soft and supple. Now return to the mixing bowl and cover with cling film and refrigerate.
- Labneh
Line a sieve with damp jay cloth or piece of muslin and set over a bowl. Weigh 250g of Greek Yoghurt out in to mixing bowl. Beat in a generous pinch of salt with a spatula then turn out in to your lined sieve. Return to the fridge for 4-6hrs.
- Aubergine
Prick a large Aubergine all over with a sharp knife then roast for 30 mins at 220 degrees, until soft to touch.
- Tabouleh
Toast 75g walnuts in 220 oven for 8mins. Remove from the oven and while still warm muddle in a sieve to remove the skins. Now return to the tray and dust with 2 tablespoons of icing sugar, a heaped teaspoon of ground cumin and a pinch of salt. Cook in the oven for a further 2-3 mins until caramelised. Once cooled crumble with your hands in to irregular chunks. In a medium sized oven dish add 50g cous cous and 25g raisins. Cover with boiling water and a plug of olive oil. Cling film the dish until cool and water has been absorbed.
As mentioned before, the meringues and flatbread are optional. Ready made replacements would be fine should any of the participants not have the time to complete all of these jobs in advance.
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