Month: January 2014

Categories
SOUPS/SAUCES/CONDIMENTS

MIXED MUSHROOM RISOTTO


4 cups/1 liter chicken stock
6 fresh shiitake mushrooms, finely sliced (or 6 dried ones — see note)
150 g/5.3 oz mixed wild mushrooms, finely sliced
2 tablespoons/30 ml vegetable oil (for frying the mushrooms and onions)
1 onion, finely chopped
2 tablespoons/30 ml olive oil (for the risotto)
150 g/5.3 oz Arborio rice
⅔ cup/150 ml white wine
1 tablespoon/15 ml truffle trimmings (optional or use 1 teaspoon/5 ml truffle oil)
½ cup/125 ml Parmesan cheese, finely grated
¼ cup/60 ml chives, finely chopped
salt and freshly ground black pepper

If using dried shiitake mushrooms, pour out 1 cup/250 ml of the stock into a bowl containing the dried mushrooms. Set aside to soak until soft. Keep the rest of the stock simmering for the risotto. Remove the soaked mushrooms from the soaking liquid and finely slice them. Strain the soaking liquid of the mushrooms into the simmering stock.

In a medium saucepan, bring the stock to a simmer.
In a clean saucepan, heat the vegetable oil, then add all the mushrooms and onion and fry until cooked. Remove from the saucepan and set aside. (If using the dried shiitake mushrooms, strain at this stage and slice finely, then add it to the pan with the other mushrooms). 

Wipe the saucepan and heat 2 tablespoons/30 ml olive oil, then add the rice and stir to coat until it is lightly toasted but not colored. Add the wine and bring to the boil until all the alcohol has evaporated — stirring occasionally.  Stir in half a cup of the stock and cook until almost all the liquid has been absorbed.  Keep stirring  occasionally.  Continue adding the remaining stock, half a cup at a time, to the rice until almost all but half a cup of stock remains. This should take about 25 minutes. Add the cooked mushrooms, the onions and the balance of the stock. Stir to heat through. Remove from the heat, stir in the truffle trimmings (or truffle oil), the cheese and chives, and season to taste. Serve immediately.

Categories
METHODS SOUPS/SAUCES/CONDIMENTS

BASIL PESTO


BASIL PESTO

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

The quantity that this recipe gives can easily be doubled or tripled.

1 cup/250 ml (tightly packed) fresh basil leaves
1 garlic clove
25g/1 oz pine nuts, toasted
½ cup/125ml olive oil
4 tablespoons/60 ml Pecorino cheese, freshly grated
4 tablespoons/60 ml Parmesan, freshly grated
salt to taste
½ teaspoon/3 ml lemon juice

  • Put the basil, garlic, pine nuts and Pecorino cheese in an electric mixer and blend very briefly until you have a rough consistency.
  • Then slowly add the olive oil, checking regularly whether it is the consistency you want.
  • Keep on adding oil until you are satisfied. When the sauce has reached the consistency you want, add the Parmesan cheese, stir in well and check the seasoning.
The amount of salt depends on the piquancy of the Pecorino used.
  • Store in a jar with a tight-fitting lid in the refrigerator for about 3 days.
Categories
METHODS

BEEF STOCK


2 kg/4.4 lbs beef bones, cut into small pieces
2 pig’s trotters, cleaned thoroughly and split in half (ask your butcher to do it for you)
2 tablespoons/30 ml oil
2 small brown onions, skin on, roughly chopped
3 cm/1.2 in piece of ginger, bruised and chopped
1 teaspoon black peppercorns
star anise
6 cloves
1 cinnamon stick
2 whole nutmeg
2 tablespoons/30 ml Asian fish sauce

Preheat the oven to 200°C/400°F.
Place the beef bones and the trotters on an oven tray and roast in the preheated oven until browned all over.  In a large stockpot, heat the oil and lightly fry the onions and ginger, then add the beef bones and trotters and the rest of the ingredients.  Add 4 liters/8.5 pts cold water, and bring to the boil.  Simmer gently over low-medium heat and regularly skim the brown foam that forms on the surface.  Simmer for 4 hours, adding enough water to keep the contents submerged, then remove from the heat.

Cool to room temperature, then strain, do not press down on the solids as this will cause the stock to become cloudy.  Cover and refrigerate until cold, then remove the fat from the surface. Refrigerate for up to 2 days or freeze in smaller containers for up to 3 months.  Discard the solids.

Categories
SOUPS/SAUCES/CONDIMENTS

Chicken pate in pastry with tomato salad and a creamy salad dressing


Serve with tomato salad and a creamy salad dressing.

BLOCK HORIZONTAL LINE

This pate tastes better when it has cooled down. Leave it uncovered for the pastry to stay crisp, until it gets to room temperature.

CHICKEN PATE

The filling:
1.5 kg/3.3 lbs free-range chicken
1 teaspoon/5 ml salt
a pinch each of ground black pepper, ground cloves, ground ginger, ground nutmeg
4 tablespoons/60 ml parsley, finely chopped
6 cloves of garlic, finely chopped
2 free-range eggs, lightly beaten
2 cups/500 ml white wine

The pastry:
500 g/17.6 oz short crust pastry
150 g/5.2 oz puff pastry
1 free-range egg yolk

The jelly:
20 g/0.7 oz powdered gelatin
1¼ cup/310 ml chicken stock
1 tablespoon/30 l Madeira
season to taste

The salad:
2 cherry tomatoes, peeled, cut in half
1 spring onion, shredded
a mixture of herb leaves

The dressing:
4 tablespoons/60 ml Japanese mayonnaise
2 teaspoons/10 ml rice wine vinegar
2 teaspoons/10 ml caster sugar
5 tablespoons/75 ml chive oil
balsamic vinegar glaze (optional)

Debone chicken and cut into thin strips then mix with the rest of the ingredients. Place in the refrigerator overnight to marinate.

Preheat the oven to 190°C/374°F.
Roll out the short crust pastry to a thickness of just over 3 mm/0.1 in and line a greased terrine dish. Spoon in the meat filling to the top of the dish and coat the pastry around the top edges with the egg yolk.

Cover the filling with the puff pastry, rolled out to 4 mm/0.2 in thickness, and press the edges firmly on to the edges of the short crust pastry.  Coat the puff pastry with the egg yolk and cut two holes in the center of the pastry (to allow the steam to escape). Insert two pastry funnels or two pieces of foil rolled-up. Bake in the preheated oven for 50 minutes.

Meanwhile, heat a little of the chicken stock and add the gelatin powder, stirring until dissolved. Add the rest of the chicken stock and the Madeira and heat through. Season to taste and strain the liquid. When the pate is cooked, remove from the oven then evenly pour the liquid through both the openings into the pate.

For the salad, mix together all the ingredients and season well.
For the dressing, combine all the ingredients. It should be like stiff cream. If not, add more mayonnaise.

To serve:
Allow the pate to cool to room temperature and remove from the terrine mold. Slice into 4 cm/1.5 in slices and place in the center of four serving plates. Spoon the salad on the side with the mayonnaise.

Categories
SOUPS/SAUCES/CONDIMENTS

Thai spiced chicken and coconut soup


This is a spicy and creamy soup and it is essential to poach the raw chicken in the broth for more flavor.

THAI SPICED CHICKEN SOUP

The soup:
2 tablespoons/30 ml vegetable oil
2 skinless free-range chicken breast fillets, cut into narrow strips
5 cm/2 in fresh ginger, peeled and finely chopped
1 stalk lemon grass, hard outer skin removed and chopped finely
1-2 teaspoons/5-10 ml mild red chilies, finely chopped
2 cups/500 ml coconut cream
1 cup chicken stock
2 tablespoons/30 ml Asian fish sauce (also known as Nam Pla, available in well-stocked supermarkets)
lime or lemon juice to taste

The garnish:
coconut shavings
½ cup/125 ml fresh coriander leaves
sliced red chilies (optional)

In a medium sized saucepan, heat the oil and lightly fry the ginger, lemon grass and chilies, then add the coconut cream and chicken stock and bring to the boil.  Add the strips of chicken, fish sauce and lemon juice and cook for another 5 minutes. Check the seasoning.

To serve:
Pour the soup into warm soup bowls and garnish with coconut shavings, fresh coriander and extra chilies (optional).

Categories
METHODS

QUICK CHOCOLATE MOUSSE


As suggested for Papaya mousse with chocolate and orange
1 teaspoon/5 ml gelatin powder
1 tablespoon/5 ml cold water
2 tablespoons/30 ml boiling water
½ cup/125 ml sugar
¼ cup/60 ml cocoa
1 cup/250 ml whipping cream
1 teaspoon/5 ml vanilla extract
shaved chocolate

In a small bowl sprinkle the gelatin over the cold water and let stand 1 minute. Add the boiling water and stir until the gelatin is dissolved.
In a separate bowl stir together the sugar, cocoa, whipping cream, and vanilla. Beat on medium speed of an electric mixer until the mixture is stiff.
Add the gelatin mixture and beat until well blended. Spoon into cocktail glasses and sprinkle with shaved chocolate. Chill for 1 hour before serving.

Categories
SOUPS/SAUCES/CONDIMENTS

Papaya mousse with chocolate and orange and Cointreau mousse topping


Serve with brandy snaps or wafer rolls.

BLOCK HORIZONTAL LINE

Serves 4

Experiment with mangoes or other soft seasonal fruit such as ripe peaches, melon,etc. Adding lemon juice to prevent them from browning is essential. If orange flavored chocolate is not available, finely grate some orange zest into the melting dark chocolate.

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The papaya mousse :
1 small, ripe papaya, seeded and peeled
¼ cup/60 ml caster sugar
2 tablespoons/30 ml fresh lemon juice
2 teaspoons/10 ml peach Scnapps / Cointreau, or orange juice

The chocolate mousse topping:
¼ cup/60 ml whole milk
¼ cup/60 ml double cream
85 g/3 oz orange-flavoured dark chocolate, finely chopped
1 free-range egg

The brandy snaps:
125 g/4.4 oz butter
4 tablespoons/60 ml golden syrup
125 g/4.4 oz dark brown sugar
125 g/4.4 oz plain flour
1 teaspoon/5 ml ground dried ginger

Puree the papaya in a liquidizer. Add the caster sugar, lemon juice and Schnapps / Cointreau (if using) or orange juice. Pour into 4-6 fluted glasses or large cocktail glasses and chill to set.

In a large saucepan and over medium heat, slowly bring the milk and cream to the boil. Put the chopped chocolate into a liquidizer and pour over the hot milk and cream. Leave to stand for two minutes, then blend the mixture for about 30 seconds. Add the egg to the mixture and blend for another 45 seconds. Carefully pour the chocolate over the papaya mousse and refrigerate for about 2 hours or until set.

The recipe for the chocolate mousse contains raw eggs and is not suitable for pregnant women, the elderly or very young children. If you wish to avoid using raw eggs, make the Quick chocolate mousse. The recipe is in the Glossary.

The brandy snaps:
Heat the butter, syrup and sugar over low heat until melted. Sift the flour and ginger together and add to the butter mixture. Mix until smooth, then cool and chill for an hour.

Preheat the oven to 160°C/320°F and lightly grease a baking tray.
Roll teaspoons full of the mixture into balls and flatten them into discs directly onto the baking tray. Leave enough room between each disk for spreading out during baking. Bake in the oven for 7 – 10 minutes or until golden brown. Leave to cool slightly then wrap over the bottom of a glass or around a rolling pin, or simply leave it flat. Leave to cool completely.

To serve:
Place each glass of papaya and chocolate mousse in the center of a serving plate with two brandy snaps each. (One or two wafer rolls can be used instead of the brandy snaps.)

Categories
MAIN COURSE

BOLOGNESE


The difference between this and the traditional Bolognese recipe is that I do not let it cook for very long because I do not use canned tomatoes. I prefer the freshness and lightness the fresh tomatoes give the dish.

BOLOGNESE

To start:
25 g/8 oz butter
25 g/8 oz olive oil
2 cloves garlic, finely chopped
1 carrot, finely chopped
2 celery stalks, finely chopped
2 large mushrooms, finely chopped

The meat:
25 g/8 oz butter
25 g/8 oz olive oil
70 g/2½ oz pancetta, finely sliced
1 onion, finely chopped
300 g/10.6 oz beef, minced
100 g/3.5 oz pork, minced
2 large, fresh tomatoes, peeled, deseeded and finely diced
¾ cup/175 ml white wine
1 cup/250 ml beef stock
¾ cup/175 ml whole milk

The pasta:
spaghetti (for 4 servings)
2 tablespoons/30 ml olive oil
2 tablespoons/30 ml parsley, finely chopped
grated Parmesan cheese, to serve

To start:
Melt the butter and oil in a heavy-based pan over medium heat, then add the garlic, carrot and celery and fry for 2 minutes. Add the mushroom and cook until the mushroom are cooked. Remove the vegetables from the pan with a slotted spoon and add some more butter and oil.

Turn up the heat then add the onion and pancetta and let it cook for a minute or so. Add the minced beef and pork, breaking it up with wooden spoon and leave to brown without stirring. Then stir and let brown some more. Stir in the reserved mushrooms and vegetables and the milk and stir through until the milk is well absorbed. Add the white wine and let it cook down, then add the tomatoes and half the stock. Cook until nearly dry then add the rest of the stock and cook some 15 minutes longer. Season to taste and remove from the heat. Keep it warm.

While the Bolognese is “resting”, cook the pasta until al dente in a deep saucepan with lots of salted water. Drain and pour back into the saucepan and drizzle some olive oil over. Stir through the parsley.

With a pasta serving fork, roll up the pasta and gently slide it onto a warm serving plate. Neatly spoon the meat sauce over the pasta, top it with freshly grated Parmesan cheese and more parsley if preferred.

Make double the meat sauce and use leftovers for making:
Stuffed roast peppers
Stuffed mushrooms
Sausage rolls with puff pastry.

For leftover spaghetti:
Mix with breadcrumbs, herbs and cheese and put it under the grill for a few minutes for a delightful snack or with a salad for lunch.

Categories
METHODS SOUPS/SAUCES/CONDIMENTS

BéCHAMEL SAUCE


Béchamel sauce (roux or white sauce) serves as a great base for many sauces, to make soufflés, au gratins, Lasagne, Macaroni and cheese, to thicken soups, etc.

  • To make the sauce, take an equal volume of butter and flour and in a saucepan, heat the butter until it foams then whisk in the flour and continue cooking until it is well amalgamated and foaming.
  • Then add the heated liquid (volume of your choice, depending on the recipe and the consistency) and bring back to the boil.  Whisk continuously over medium heat until the sauce boils and thickens.
  • Turn down the heat to the lowest setting, add salt and pepper and other flavorings such as herbs or spices , cheese, etc.
  • Place a piece of clingfilm over the surface to prevent it from forming a skin, until it is ready to be used.
Categories
MAIN COURSE

Lamb and aubergine lasagne


Serves 4

To save time, the white sauce may be made up to two days ahead, the surface covered with plastic wrap and stored in the refrigerator until ready to use. Dried lasagne sheets, blanched, can be used in stead of fresh pasta. LASAGNE

Please note that this is not strictly the traditional Lasagne, which I believe comes without aubergine, mushrooms and spinach — contrary to this recipe. So, apologies to all the purists out there.

The vegetables:
2 large aubergines, thinly sliced horizontally
2 tablespoons/30 ml olive oil
1 tablespoon/15 ml butter
16 large field mushrooms, roughly chopped
1 cup/25 ml cooked spinach
salt and freshly ground black pepper

The meat sauce:
2 tablespoons/20 ml olive oil
2 large onions, chopped
3 garlic cloves, minced
3 tablespoons/45 ml bacon, finely chopped
450 g/15.8 oz pork, minced
450 g/15.8 oz lamb, minced
750 g/1½ lb tomatoes, skinned, seeded and chopped
½ teaspoon/3 ml fennel seeds, crushed
2 tablespoons/30 ml tomato paste
½ teaspoon/3 ml cinnamon
pinch allspice, ground
salt and freshly ground pepper

The white sauce:
1 cup prepared Bechamel sauce

The topping:
1 cup/250 ml fresh breadcrumbs
2 tablespoons/30 ml fresh parsley, finely chopped
1 tablespoon/15 ml garlic
250 g/9 oz Parmesan cheese, finely grated

Additional ingredients:
125 g/4.4 oz cheddar cheese, grated
125 g/4.4 oz Buffalo mozzarella cheese, sliced
12 fresh pasta sheets (cut to 14 x 7 cm/5.5 in x 2.7 in)

Preheat the oven to 180°C/356°F.

Sprinkle the aubergines with salt and set aside for 30 minutes, then rinse the aubergines and pat dry.

Heat the olive oil and butter in a large heavy non-stick pan and fry the mushrooms until cooked through. Remove from the pan with a slotted spoon, season and set aside.

Heat some more oil and fry the aubergine slices until golden brown on both sides, then drain on kitchen towel and set aside.

In the same pan, heat the oil and fry the onions, garlic and bacon over moderate heat, until softened. Add the pork and lamb and cook, stirring to break up, until it is crisp and starting to caramelize. Stir in the remaining meat sauce ingredients and salt and pepper to taste. Cook for about 5 minutes more, uncovered.

Mix all the ingredients for the topping and set aside.

Assemble the dish:
Grease an ovenproof dish with a lid, approximately 34 x 24 cm/13 in x 9.5 in. Arrange enough pasta sheets to cover the bottom of the dish. Place the aubergine slices in a single layer over the pasta, then spread half of the meat sauce over the whole surface. Mix the mushroom mixture with the spinach and spread half of this over the meat sauce. Scatter half the mozzarella cheese over and pour half the white sauce over the cheese. Repeat the above steps once more ending with the white sauce. Sprinkle the topping over, drizzle some olive oil over, then cover the dish with the lid and bake in the middle of the oven for 30 minutes.

Remove the lid and bake the Lasagne for 10 minutes longer until the top is bubbling. For extra crispy and golden topping, grill under a preheated grill for about 2 minutes. Let the Lasagne stand for 5-10 minutes before serving. Serve with a simple fresh salad.2