GODSPEED Hospitality Recipes

The Godspeed

2 large sprigs rosemary (de-stemmed)
10 thinly cut cucumber slices
2 oz gin (Hendrick's preferred)
1 oz lime juice, freshly squeezed
1 t simple syrup
Splash of club soda or sparkling water (about a tablespoon)

Muddle cucumber slices and rosemary in a dry cup. Add gin, lime juice, simple syrup and stir thoroughly. Strain and pour over ice. Finish with a splash of club soda. Garnish with a lime wedge, a few slices of cucumber, and a sprig of rosemary.

Cucumber Lemonade

1 cucumber

Rinse the cucumber and blend with 1 cup of water. Put cucumber goop in a strainer and let the juice drain into your pitcher. Throw away the goop (or give it to your chickens) and add:

5 juiced lemons (or one can of lemonade concentrate, omitting ½ c sugar)
½ c sugar
5 cups water
Ice

Granny Wallace's Homemade Shortbread

3 sticks salted butter, softened (3/4 lb)
1 c       powdered sugar (4 oz)
1 c       cornstarch (4 oz)
2 c       flour (10 oz)

Dump all in a mixer until a soft dough forms. Roll it out ½” thick onto a floured board. Cut into 2” circles. Prick with a fork.

Bake 30 minutes at 300F, followed by 30 minutes at 200F. Sprinkle with superfine sugar (or granulated sugar) right when it comes out of the oven. Transfer to racks to cool.

Methlick Sticky Toffee Pudding - serves 8-10

8 oz dates (chopped coarsely)
1 c boiling water
1 t baking soda
1 t vanilla
1 T instant coffee crystals (not ground beans)

Add these all together in a bowl and set aside.

1 stick butter
1 c brown sugar (packed)
4 eggs
1 ¾ c flour + 1 t baking powder

Cream butter and sugar in a mixer. Alternate adding eggs and flour until fully combined. Add date mixture. Pour into 9” buttered round cake pan (although we have been known to be desperate and throw it into loaf tins, muffin tins, casserole dishes, and soup pots). Bake for 40 minutes at 350F or until a knife comes out clean.

Toffee sauce:

½ stick butter
1 c brown sugar (packed)
1 pint whipping cream

Combine butter and sugar and melt over a low heat. Add cream and boil for 3 minutes, until sauce starts to thicken. Pour under or over or into or anywhere around Sticky Toffee Pudding. For a real Scottish experience, serve a wedge of the pudding on a pool of toffee, dust with powdered sugar, and then let people top with more toffee sauce from a pitcher, ice cream, and an extra pitcher of ‘heavy whipping cream.’ (Yes, all three together).

Chicken Marbella - serves 10-12

Refrigerate overnight:

1 c olive oil
1 c red wine vinegar
2 c pitted prunes
1 c pitted green olives (not from a can)
1 c capers + juice
10 bay leaves
¼ c minced garlic
¼ c dried oregano
2 t salt & ¼ t pepper
5 lbs. chicken thighs (can use skinless, but skin browns more beautifully). Allow two thighs per person.

Next day:

Preheat oven to 350F. Arrange chicken in a single layer in shallow roasting pans. Pour marinade over evenly. Add wine, then sprinkle with sugar:

1 ½  c white wine
1 ½  c brown sugar

Bake 40 minutes (basting at least once). Serve with a bitter green salad and rice.