Indulgent, quick and comforting

My trip to Macau last week was nothing short of crazy. My colleagues and I were there to organize and run a high-end corporate retreat for a company that was entertaining 20 of its top clients. As I wrote last week, we ate primarily in our hotel rooms, whenever we could, which was usually at rather odd hours. One of the few proper meals that we were able to enjoy — eaten while our clients were enjoying a sumptuous seven course dinner at Robuchon a Galera — was at Il Teatro, the Wynn Macau’s very chic Italian restaurant. Because we had booked quite late, we could not get a table inside the restaurant. Instead, we sat at one of three tables on the restaurant’s terrace.

Because we only had an hour and a half for dinner, we had a quick meal, sharing a starter, having a main course each and sharing the restaurant’s dessert platter. Because I spent a good portion of the week hanging out in the hotel’s lobby, where Il Teatro’s menu was on display, I knew exactly what I wanted for my main course. The home-made beef ravioli with truffle butter and freshly shaved parmesan was delicious. While simple, it was also rich and delightfully sensuous.

Earlier today, I had a craving for Il Teatro’s excellent ravioli. And while I would have loved to have tried to make my own version of the dish, I didn’t have the time to whip up a batch of pasta dough for the ravioli. Instead, I decided to make something much easier but with similar flavours.

My solution was a beef lasagne with a truffled bechamel sauce and parmesan. S and I always keep some dried lasagne sheets in our pantry. They come in handy on days like today. For the beef, I used a bit of Australian wagyu striploin that I had stored in the freezer. (Yah, I know this was ridiculously indulgent but it was damn good.) I hand-minced this and sauteed it lightly, seasoning it with just a bit of salt and pepper. Into my bechamel, I mixed some truffle salsa, one of my favourite condiments and something I always try to store in my fridge. My brother W had given us some fantastic aged parmesan. I shaved this into and over the lasagne. Prepping the whole thing took just 25 minutes. Another 20 in the oven and dinner was ready. The lasagne was rich and hearty. It was also a breeze to make, which is something I value highly.

About Aun Koh

Aun has always loved food and travel, passions passed down to him from his parents. This foundation, plus a background in media, pushed him to start Chubby Hubby in 2005. He loves that this site allows him to write about the things he adores--food, style, travel, his wife and his three kids!

• More Posts(675)