Delicious dishes with marsala | Kitchen Aid

I made Felicity Cloake's tiramisu, which was delicious, but I still have an almost full bottle of marsala. What else can I do with it?Viv, CardiffNot all marsala are created equal: you have secco (dry), semi-secco (semi-dry) and dolce (sweet), but since Viv is talking about tiramisu, I'm going to assume that's the latter to use. However, before diving into that, Guardian drinks expert Fiona Beckett says it's worth noting that this fortified Sicilian wine is often sold in half bottles, although she concedes that doesn't serve the purpose. much to Viv now. “That said,” adds Beckett, “the good news is that you can basically use it anywhere you would use a sweet sherry.” the cook's delight. "Dive into it when you've finally gotten rid of the family and things have calmed down," says Beckett, who suggests sipping it with any leftover Christmas cake, chocolate or stilton. Alternatively, for a last hurray before dry January, consider a cocktail like a marsala martini: mixologist Tony Conigliaro's recipe calls for 50ml London dry gin, 10ml marsala dolce, 5ml dry vermouth and a few drops of 'almond bitters.

Otherwise, as the name suggests, sweet marsala is best used in sweets, and most famously in zabaione. This light, boozy dessert is, says Mitshel Ibrahim, chef/owner of soon-to-open Ombra and Forno, both in London, a "kind of custard made with egg yolk, sugar and marsala , the whole cooked slowly in a bain-marie". It also happens to "like to hang out with panettone", if you have been in contact since Christmas. Sweet marsala is also particularly good with anything reflecting its nutty, caramel and dried fruit notes: cantucci biscuits (or similar) for dipping in, prunes for a compote (to be eaten with rice pudding), or raisins, dried figs and the like. for dipping, then tossing into fruitcake, assuming you haven't had enough already.

Marsala is also a good playmate for fresh fruit, from maceration of strawberries (when the time comes) to pour over ready-to-cook pears. In his Christmas Chronicles, Nigel Slater boils apple juice, marmalade, marsala and honey, pours them over peeled, cored and sliced ​​pears, then cooks them until soft.

If there's dry marsala to be had, do like Rachel Roddy, the Guardian's food correspondent based in Italy, by keeping a bottle by the stove for when soups, stews, sauces and mushrooms need to be "pushed". Beckett also mixes it into stews and sauces, as well as game pâtés: "Just add it carefully, spoonful by spoonful, then taste and see how it goes."

Simona Di Dio, chef/co-owner of Italian Bottega Caruso in Margate, is also going the meat and mushroom route with her mother's cutlets. She dusts the cutlets (pork or chicken) in flour, then fry them in olive oil and butter. “Add the marsala, simmer until the wine has reduced, then reserve the cutlets. In the same skillet, add more oil and a minced clove of garlic, then the mushrooms, black pepper, thyme and parsley. Once everything is cooked, you have two options: reconstitute the cutlets and mushrooms, or sauté your meat on parchment paper, cover with mozzarella and fried vegetables, wrap and bake for about 15 minutes, until what they base. Simple and cheesy.

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