Month: May 2014

Categories
SOUPS/SAUCES/CONDIMENTS

Strawberry cake with thick custard and a meringue and almond topping


STRAWBERRY CAKE WITH MERINGUE TOPPING

2 cups/500 ml thick custard
60 g/2 oz of 1 sponge cake (page 25)
zest of 1 lemon
180 g/6.3 oz strawberries, hulled and sliced
5 egg whites
75 g/2.6 oz caster sugar
1 tablespoon/15 ml almonds, flaked

The custard:
3 egg yolks
60 g/2 oz sugar
1¼ cups/355 ml milk
1b cup/400 ml fresh full cream, lightly whisked
20 g/0.7 oz flour
20 g/0.7 oz cornstarch
seeds from 1 vanilla pod

Preheat the oven to 120°C/248°F.
Make the custard and cool, then refrigerate for 2 hours.
Line the base of a greased ovenproof soufflé dish with the sponge cake – about 2 cm/0.7 in thick. Sprinkle the grated lemon zest over.
Whisk the egg whites with a pinch of salt, until it forms soft peaks. Add 3 tablespoons of the sugar and whisk until stiff and glossy peaks forms.
Pour the custard over the cake, then arrange the sliced strawberries on top of the custard. Pile the meringue roughly on top, completely covering the custard. Scatter the remaining caster sugar and flaked almonds over the meringue and bake in the preheated oven for 25-30 minutes, until the top of the meringue is crisp with golden tips. Serve immediately.

Whisk the egg yolks and sugar until pale and fluffy. Heat the milk but remove from the heat just before it starts boiling. Mix a few spoons of the hot milk with the egg mixture, then add the two flours and vanilla seeds and mix well. Pour the whole mixture back into the rest of the heated milk, mix well and bring slowly to the boil, stirring continuously. When the sauce has thickened sufficiently, remove from the heat and pour into a cooled bowl. Set aside, covered with greaseproof paper, to cool until ready to use.

 

Categories
SOUPS/SAUCES/CONDIMENTS

Mushroom Basmati rice


This recipe is very tasty and comforting and can be served with a lot of different meat dishes.

LINE

 

The rice:
450 g/15.8 oz Basmati rice
4 cups/1 liter chicken stock
75 g/2.6 oz butter
salt

The mushrooms:
1 tablespoon/15 ml butter
6 mushrooms, finely sliced
1 clove garlic, minced
1 green onion, finely chopped
1 cup/250 ml chicken stock
salt and pepper to taste
2 teaspoons/10 ml fresh parsley, chopped

Add the rice, salt and chicken stock to a medium saucepan. Bring to the boil, lower the heat, then cover with a tightly fitting lid. Cook for 15-20 minutes then turn off the heat and leave the rice to stand, still covered, until about 5 minutes before serving.

Meanwhile for the mushrooms, heat the butter in a pan, add the mushrooms and cook for about 5 minutes.  Add the garlic and onion and fry until the pan is dry, then pour in the stock and season.  Cook until almost all the stock has evaporated, then remove from the heat.

When ready to serve, add the butter to the rice and fluff up with a fork.   Carefully stir in the mushrooms and parsley and keep warm until ready to serve.

 

 

Categories
SOUPS/SAUCES/CONDIMENTS

Crushed potatoes, green beans and shiittaki mushrooms


4 potatoes, peeled and cut into 1 cm/0.4 in dice
250 g/9 oz green beans, top and tailed and cut into 1 cm lengths
1 medium onion, roughly chopped
2 tablespoons/30 ml butter
250 g/9 oz shiittake mushrooms, stems removed, cut into 1 cm dice
salt and freshly ground black pepper
½ cup/125 ml parsley, finely chopped
10 drops of truffle oil
Parmesan cheese, grated (optional)

Cover the potatoes with water and bring to the boil.  Boil for 10 minutes then add the green beans and onions.   In a separate pan heat 1 tablespoon/15 ml of the butter and fry the mushrooms until tender.  When the potatoes are tender and the beans are almost cooked but still crispy, stir in the mushrooms.  Season with salt and pepper and let it heat through over very low heat for about ten minutes.  Gently stir through the chopped parsley and 10 drops of truffle oil and set aside in a warm place until ready to serve.  Sprinkle over some Parmesan cheese (optional).

Categories
MAIN COURSE

Pork trotter stuffed with chicken and sweetbread mousse


The humble pig’s trotter does not possess much meat, but what it has is flavor, and the cylindrical shape ideal to be stuffed like a sausage.  It’s the intelligent way to approach this part of the nose to tail philosophy, I think.  Its flavor is simple but elegant, earthy but seriously delicious. How to get there is a totally different story.  It is a commitment and a secure few hours of dedication to make the best of it.  My very first time.

PIG'S TROTTERS STUFFED WITH CHICK MOUSSE.jpg

After careful research and You Tube education, and armed with a very sharp knife and chopping board, I started with my most amazing journey — deboning and stuffing pig’s trotters. First the singing with the blow torch to remove any hair that might still be around. Then scrubbing between the toes and singe once more if necessary, and voilá — ready for the deboning action.  Not for the squeamish though…
  • Start with the deboning of the trotters.  You will need 4 trotters.
  • Make an incision down the middle of the underside and carefully ease the skin away from the bone, starting from the open end (the end opposite the toes).
  • At all times try not to cut through the skin because the stuffing will leak out during the cooking process.
  • Peel the skin back as you cut it away from the bone.
  • You will reach the toes and quite a few tough tendons.
  • Cut the tendons and maneuver the knife into the first joint to disconnect the largest bone in the trotter.  (You will need to use some extra force.)
  • Then tackle the next joints which are smaller and easier to remove.
  • The good news is that the bones right inside the toes stay intact to keep them firm.
  • There will still be fat and unidentifiable bits and pieces on the inside of the skin which should be scraped off carefully without tearing the skin.

PIG'S TROTTER DEBONED

Lightly sprinkle the skins with some salt, and spices (I used ground clove and cinnamon) of your choice, and set aside.

The recipe for the whole process:
4 pigs trotters
flour for coating
3 eggs with a dash of water
4 cups/1 liter panko breadcrumbs
oil for deep-frying

2 tablespoons/30 ml oil
2 large carrots, diced
1 large onion, diced
¼ cup/60 ml white wine
1 tablespoon/15 ml Madeira
½ cup/125 ml veal or pork stock
2 teaspoons/10 ml champagne vinegar
herbs such as thyme, sage, tarragon, etc.

For the stuffing:
25 g calf’s sweetbreads
50 g/1.7 oz butter
1 small onion
20 mushrooms of your choice
1 chicken breast (very cold), skinned and diced
1 egg white
200 ml / 7 fl oz double cream, very cold
salt and freshly ground pepper

The chicken meat, egg white and cream must be very cold, otherwise it might split when processed.
  • Heat the oil in an oven-proof pan and lightly brown the chopped vegetables and the bones.
  • Deglaze the pan with the wine and as soon as the wine has evaporated, add the Madeira and the stock and bring back to a boil.
  • Place the trotter skins on top of the bones. Cover the pan tightly and place in the oven at 160°C/325°F for 3 hours.
  • Meanwhile, prepare the stuffing:
CALF'S SWEETBREADS
Calf’s sweetbreads
  • Blanch the sweetbreads for 5 minutes, remove with a slotted spoon and plunge in iced water.
  • Drain and carefully remove the skin and membranes around the sweetbreads, then roughly chop them.
  • In a pan heat some butter over medium heat and fry the sweetbreads and chopped onion for 5 minutes then add the mushrooms and cook for a further 5 minutes. Season lightly.  Set aside to cool.
  • To finish the stuffing:  In a processor, puree the chicken breast with the egg white and cream and season with salt and pepper.
  • Stir in the sweetbread mixture and mix well.  Take a small amount of the stuffing and fry it for tasting to adjust the seasoning if necessary.
  • To stuff the trotters:  Place each lukewarm trotter skin (if it gets too cold it loses its elasticity and makes it difficult to roll) on a square of plastic wrap and start filling it, starting at the end of the foot.
  • Pack the stuffing in well but not so much that the trotter loses its shape. The exact amount of mixture will depend on the size of your trotters.
  • Once stuffed, it will take its original shape of the bone-in pig’s foot.
  • Tightly roll up the stuffed trotters in plastic wrap and refrigerate for an hour or two.  (Leftover mousse can be frozen to fill tortellini, etc.)

PORK TROTTERS BEING STUFFED.jpg

  • Meanwhile strain the cooking stock and discard the solids.
  • Reduce the stock to a thick consistency, skimming the fat from the surface of the braising liquid all the time, then whisk in a of champagne vinegar.
  • Add the herbs, adjust the seasoning and keep warm.
  • For the frying of the crumbed trotters, get ready three shallow bowls, one with flour, the other with an egg and water mixture and a third with panko breadcrumbs.
  • Remove the plastic wrap from the trotters.  Cover them with flour, shaking off the excess, then dip into the egg and finally roll in the breadcrumbs, making sure that the crumbs adhere all over.
  • Put back in the refrigerator for 30 minutes.
  • Heat a large pan on medium heat filled with enough vegetable oil to cover the trotters when deep-frying.
  • Once the oil is hot (about 160ºC/325ºF), add the breaded pig’s trotter to the pan and slowly fry it until all sides are golden brown all round.
  • Transfer to a heated pan and place in the oven (160°C/325°F) for 15 minutes.
  • When ready to serve, slice the trotter like a sausage and and arrange on the plate with the  sauce and Crushed potatoes, green beans and shiittaki .

 

Categories
GLOSSARY / METHODS

PASTRY CREAM (CUSTARD)


As used for making Strawberry cake with custard and meringue and Trifle

3 free-range egg yolks
60 g/2 oz sugar
1¼ cups/310 ml milk
⅓ cup/80 ml fresh full cream, lightly whisked
20 g/0.7 oz flour
20 g/0.7 oz cornstarch
seeds from 1 vanilla pod

Whisk the egg yolks and sugar until pale and fluffy. Heat the milk but remove from the heat just before it starts boiling.  Mix a few spoons of the hot milk with the egg mixture, then add the flours and vanilla seeds and mix well.  Pour the whole mixture back into the rest of the heated milk, mix well and bring slowly to the boil, stirring continuously. When the sauce has thickened sufficiently, remove from the heat and pour into a cooled bowl.  Set aside, covered with greaseproof paper, to cool until ready to use.

Categories
GLOSSARY / METHODS

MASCARPONE CHEESE


As used in the recipe for Tirimasu

Make your own:
Heat 2 cups/1 liter cream in a stainless steel double boiler to 85°C/185°F.  Dissolve a pinch of tartaric acid in 2 tablespoons/30 ml water and stir into the hot cream, stir well. It should start to thicken almost immediately. Maintain the 85°C/185°F for five minutes, stirring occasionally. Refrigerate covered for 12 hours in a plastic container in which time the whey should separate somewhat. Transfer to a sterile muslin cloth, and suspend over a bowl for 24 hours in the refrigerator to allow the whey to drain out.  Transfer the finished mascarpone to a smaller air tight container, store in the refrigerator and use within a week to ten days.

Categories
SOUPS/SAUCES/CONDIMENTS

Mille-feuille of black cherries and Kirsch liqueur


It is important not to put too much cream on the pastry as it will run over the sides and look messy. Rather serve extra cream on the side if you feel the need.

MILLE FUEILE

The pastry:
300 g/10.5 oz puff pastry
icing sugar for dredging

The filling:
2 cups/500 ml full cream
2 tablespoons/30 ml Kirsch liqueur
icing sugar, to sweeten
1 x 425 g/15 oz can pitted black cherries
1 tablespoon caster sugar (optional)

The syrup:
the reserved syrup from the can of cherries
sugar to taste
1 tablespoon/15 ml Kirsch liqueur

For variation, use other berries, mashed bananas or mixtures of fruit and chopped nuts.

Preheat the oven to 220ºC/428°F.
Roll the pastry out onto a floured surface to a 3 mm/⅛ in thickness. Place the rolled out pastry on to a lined baking tray, then cut 12 x 13 x 8 cm (4.7 x 5.1 x 3 in) rectangles. Prick with a fork, dredge generously with icing sugar and chill in the freezer for five minutes.  Then remove from the freezer and bake in the oven for 10-12 minutes, or until the pastry begins to brown on top. Cover the pastry rectangles with a piece of greaseproof paper and place another baking tray on top. Return to the oven and bake for a further 7-10 minutes then set aside to cool on a wire rack.

Whip the cream until it forms stiff peaks, fold in 2 tablespoons/30 ml of the Kirsch liqueur and add icing sugar to taste. Drain the cherries and reserve the liquid. Cut the cherries in half and set aside.

In a small saucepan, heat the reserved syrup from the cherries, add the sugar (if you wish) and reduce until it becomes syrupy. Add the rest of the liqueur and set aside to cool.

When ready to serve, spread the cream over 1 of the 4 rectangles, leaving about 1 cm/0.4 in then fill the surface with the half cherries, pressing it down into the cream. Place another rectangle on top of each of the first ones, and repeat with the cream and cherries. Top with the final rectangle, sprinkle over the grated chocolate and drizzle the syrup around. Serve immediately.

Categories
SOUPS/SAUCES/CONDIMENTS

Baked cheesecake with blackberry sauce


Avoid over-baking. Because of variations in ovens, it is difficult to give the exact baking time for the cheesecake. It will continue baking after it had been removed from the oven, therefore keep an eye on it while it is baking. The cake is perfectly done when the spot in the middle of the cheesecake is still a little bit wobbly. The texture will smooth out as it cools.

CHEESECAKE

The pastry:
100 g/3.5 oz butter, softened
100 g/3.5 oz sugar
1 free-range egg
120 g/4.2 oz cake flour
a pinch each of baking powder and salt
2 tablespoons/30 ml cornflour
rind of 1 lemon, finely grated
the seeds of ½ vanilla bean
a few drops lemon essence

Once you have scraped the seeds from the vanilla pod, store the empty bean in an airtight container filled with sugar. This will provide you with vanilla flavored sugar in just a few days.

The filling:
4 free-range eggs
1 cup/250 ml sugar
2 tablespoons/30 ml lemon juice
3 x 250 g/8.8 oz smooth cottage cheese
1 cup/250 ml cream
½ cup/125 ml flour

The sauce:
350 g /12.3 oz blackberries, fresh or frozen and defrosted
¼ cup 60 ml Kirsch
⅔ cup sugar syrup
juice of half a lemon

Whisk the butter and sugar until pale and fluffy, then add the egg and mix well. Sift the dry ingredients and add to the egg mixture with the lemon rind, vanilla and lemon essence. Mix well, then wrap in cling film and place in the refrigerator for 2 hours.

Grease a 24 cm/9.5 in cake tin with a loose bottom. Press the dough into the cake tin then place in the refrigerator for another hour to firm up.
Meanwhile preheat the oven to 180°C/356°F.

Beat the eggs and sugar until light and creamy. Add the lemon juice, cottage cheese, cream and flour and mix well.  Pour the filling into the baked crust and bake for 10 minutes in the preheated oven.

Reduce the temperature to 120-130 °C/248-266°F and bake for an hour until the filling is firm but still slightly soft in the center.
Remove from the oven and leave to cool.

When ready to serve, reserve a few blackberries and puree the rest with the rest of the sauce ingredients in a blender. Rub the sauce through a sieve and and serve with a slice of the cheesecake and a few whole berries.

 

 

 

 

 

Categories
SOUPS/SAUCES/CONDIMENTS

Layered filo pastry tart baked with a mixture of nuts, spices and rosewater syrup


This tart resembles the traditional Greek dessert, Baklava.  It will last for up to 4 days, covered and at room temperature. Use any mixture of nuts that you prefer, and if rosewater is not available, spray over some sweetened apple juice.

LINE

BAKLAVA
2 teaspoons/10 ml cinnamon
1 tablespoon/15 ml allspice
3 cloves
½ teaspoon/3 ml cardamom
¼ cup/60 ml water
1 teaspoon/5 ml rose water
450 g/1 lb filo dough, thawed
225 g/8 oz butter, melted
170 g/6 oz almonds, blanched and chopped finely
170 g/6 oz walnuts, chopped finely
170 g/6 oz pistachios, chopped finely
2/3 cup sugar

For the syrup:
1 cup/250 ml honey
1 cup/250 ml water
1 cup/250 ml sugar
the juice of half a lemon
1 cinnamon stick
1 piece fresh orange peel
pistachios, finely chopped for sprinkling (optional)

In a spice grinder, grind the cinnamon, allspice, cloves and cardamom very fine.

Mix the water and rose water and, for convenience, pour it into a spray bottle and set aside.

Cut the filo pastry to fit into a baking pan 33 x 23 x 5 cm/13 x 9 x 2 in. Greece the pan with butter, then brush each of 8 of the cut sheets with the melted butter and place on top of each other on the bottom of the pan.

Mix the almonds, walnuts and pistachio with the sugar and spread a third of this mixture over the top sheet, then spray thoroughly with the rose water. Repeat this process two more times, finishing with the last layer of filo. Brush the top generously with butter, then place in the preheated oven to bake for 30 minutes. Remove pan from the oven and cut into 24 squares (roughly 55 x 58 mm/2.2 x 2.3 in).

Return the pan to the oven and bake for another 30 minutes. Remove the pan from the oven, and place on a cooling rack to cool down for 2 hours before pouring over the syrup.

Meanwhile, prepare the syrup in a saucepan by bringing all the ingredients except the pistachios, to a boil, stirring occasionally until the sugar has dissolved. Boil for about 10 minutes, then remove from the heat and discard the orange peel and cinnamon stick.
After the tart has cooled down, make sure the cut lines go right through. Pour the hot syrup over the whole of the tart. Sprinkle some finely chopped pistachios over, then leave the pan uncovered to rest for at least 8 hours.

Categories
SOUPS/SAUCES/CONDIMENTS

Orange and pistachio roll with a cream and Grand Marnier filling


MERINQUE ROULLADE WITH PISTACHIO CREAM

The roll:
3 free-range eggs
120 g/4.2 oz castor sugar, plus extra for sprinkling/dusting
60 g/2 oz plain flour
1 teaspoon/5 ml baking powder
1 vanilla pod, split and seeds scraped out

The filling:
1 cup/250 ml cream
1 tablespoon/15 ml caster sugar (for filling)
zest of 1 orange
1 tablespoon/15 ml Grand Marnier
3 tablespoons/45 ml pistachio, finely chopped

The topping:
icing sugar for dusting
2 tablespoons/30 l pistachio, finly chopped

Preheat the oven to 180°C/356ºF.

Line a Swiss roll pan (30 x 24 cm/11.8  x 9.4 oz) with parchment paper and grease lightly. Prepare also a similar size greaseproof paper dusted with icing sugar.

Whisk the eggs, vanilla seeds and castor sugar together to form a pale mousse. Sieve the flour and baking powder together, fold into the egg and mix thoroughly. Pour into a tin spread evenly and bake for 12 minutes or until just done and shrinking around the edges.
Remove from the oven and turn out, upside down onto the sugar dusted parchment paper over a cooling rack. Allow to rest for 1-2 minutes before gently peeling off the baking parchment.  Then gently and with the help of a clean kitchen towel, roll up the cake and set aside to cool.

When the roll is cooled sufficiently, whip the cream until it holds soft peaks, fold in the sugar and orange zest and add the liqueur and pistachios. Unroll the cake (remove and discard the paper on the inside) and spread with a layer of the cream filling, then re-roll. Serve as soon as possible sliced and dusted with icing sugar and an extra sprinkling of pistachios on top.