November 2003

Crisp Pancetta with Mango and Cucumber Taglatelle.

This is a simple starter dish that appears very fancy but is in fact very easy to produce. The pancetta is in fact Parma ham. I took some thinly sluiced ham and then cut into strips. These were placed on a grease proof tray and roasted in a hot oven until golden and crispy.

The ribbons are cucumber and mango. The cucumber was cut in half length wise and the seed were removed. Then carefully with a sharp knife, thin ribbons were cut. Once the cucumber was cut it was put in a tray with a little salt, pepper and cumin seed. Then mixed with a spoonful of olive oil and baked in an oven for about twenty minutes on a low heat. This slightly breaks down the cucumber and softens it. This was then left to cool. The mango was cut in half and the stone carefully removed. After skinning it the mango was cut into thin strips. This needs to be done with a very sharp knife or the flesh with tear and rip and let down the whole dish.

Putting it all together couldn't be simpler. The cucumber and mango are mixed in the tray the cucumber was cooked in. This way you do not miss out on any of the juices and flavor. This is then put as a small pile on the centre of your serving plate. Around this is drizzled a little dressing oil. This was made by mixing the cucumber juices, salt, pepper, and a little olive or basil oil, finally the pancetta is placed on the top. As a little extra, we have sprinkled a little, very finely chopped red pepper around the plate. This just adds a bit of dramatic color and lifts the whole presentation.

If this dish is going to be prepared in advance, I would leave off the ham until the last moment. This is because it will absorb liquid from the cucumber and go soft and flop. The ham needs to be crispy.

I hope this dish appeals to you and you enjoy preparing it.

Enjoy.

Paul Vincent: Head Chef