So having sinned horribly on my low carbohydrate diet last week (mea maxima culpa!) I am back at it with a vengeance. I don’t care that chicken liver pate may be old-fashioned and reminiscent of Berni Inns where it was served with a withered lettuce leaf and Melba toast that could definitely have doubled up as a loofah if you were desperate. There are times when you can keep your de-constructed snail porridge, I want something delicious and simple and most of all unpretentious. A beautiful home-made pate served with some rocket, dressed with olive oil and a little parmesan or crusty bread or toast if you are not off the carbs, can be tasty and cheap. Chicken livers are so under-rated and under-used.You will need: 1 onion and 2 cloves of garlic, chopped finely, Small handful of fresh parsley (approx. 3 sprigs) chopped finely, 500g raw chicken livers, 250g slightly salted butter, ½ teaspoon of Tabasco, 2 teaspoons dried English mustard, 2 tablespoons brandy (Optional), Salt and pepper to taste; 2 tablespoons groundnut oilMethod:
In a frying pan, add 1 of the tablespoons of groundnut oil and place over a medium heat
Add the chicken livers and fry gently for 10 to 15 minutes or until they are no longer pink in the middle, don’t overcook them, you want them soft.
Remove the chicken livers and set aside on a plate, to cool slightly. (Ellie pictured to the left, about to remove them) Place the second spoon of groundnut oil in the frying pan. Add the onion and garlic and parsley to the pan and cook on low for about 10 minutes minutes until they become translucent but not brown
Add all the rest of the ingredients in to a food processor and whizz until smooth and creamy. You can add a tablespoon or two of double cream if you like it very creamy
Place in to a bowl and put in the fridge for at least 6 hours – that’s it! It’s also really good served with some onion marmalade. You can buy some really good ones, otherwise cook some sliced onions very, very slowly in some butter until they are very soft and start to caramelise. When they are really soft and browned, add balsamic vinegar and dark soft brown sugar and cook for a few minutes longer, that’s all you need to do.
Okay, I know I shouldn’t have been cooking today, being Mothers’ Day and all, but this is such a sublime (and easy!) dessert to make, that I really didn’t mind. After all, we had just had a hefty Chinese takeaway for which I hadn’t had to lift a finger!
I re-created this dish after we had it at a Beaconsfield restaurant (no names but guess at an insane wild animal, no longer indigenous to the UK) that I will review at a later date. This is my version.
Salted Caramel Pecans – served with Ice CreamYou will need: 90g unsalted butter, 45g caster sugar, 45g dark brown soft sugar, 200g condensed milk, 100g pecan nuts and 2 level teaspoon of high quality rock salt flakes (do not try and use ordinary salt, it will not work unless this is in large crystals!) plus any delicious ice cream of your choice – vanilla or a very dark chocolate is good.
Method: here are your 6 steps to heaven:
Place the butter and both sugars in a saucepan over a low heat and stir until all the butter has been absorbed
Add the condensed milk and gently bring to the point where it is starting to bubble
Immediately take off the heat and set aside until cold, it should now be really thick and sticky
Stir in the nuts and salt
Serve with a scoop of ice cream on top and Do NOT think about the calories
Hoorah! One of our favourite guest bloggers, Ellie is back and she is talking about one of the best things in the world, cookery books. When I’m on a diet, I sit and flick through them mentally devouring the recipes and when I’m not on a diet they are the most brilliant source of inspiration. Oh dear, from masochism to greed all in one fell swoop!
Over now to the lovely Ellie……………………………………………………………………………..
I think I own more cookery books than I do saucepans. This is probably Very Bad Maths, but there’s something about them that I love, despite the fact that I am by no means a fantastic cook – the world of possibility suggested within those glossy and beautifully-photographed pages is irresistible, not only for the recipes themselves but for the imaginary world in which I am rich and beautiful and capable in the kitchen, whipping up a perfect syllabub of an evening or holding jolly impromptu lunches for 12 where everyone tells me how clever and marvellous I am. “We all love going round to Ellie’s – you get Michelin-star quality food in a relaxed, bohemian environment.” Yes, that’s what they’ll say. So, here are a few of my new acquisitions and old favourites when it comes to frivolous and lifestyle-flogging cookery books.
Gizzi’s Kitchen Magic by Gizzi Erskine My reasoning for buying this one was tenuous at best. I had spotted Gizzi in a few fashion magazines and was inordinately keen on her tattoos and mini-beehive; then, when I checked out her website, I found a recipe for a Guinness Chocolate Cake, which I duly made and turned out to be a proper, full-blown, crowd-pleasing marvel.
So, having used one of her recipes for free and to such miraculous effect, I decided that I really ought to pay some money for her new book. The styling is lovely, and I quite like the idea that this is supposed to be an old-fashioned, back-to-basics sort of ‘kitchen compendium’. However, as an intermediate-at-best cook myself, I found that most of the book was very basic indeed. In fact, I struggled to find anything that I really, really wanted to cook, amid all of the how-to-boil-an-egg kind of stuff.
There are a few interesting recipes – the Earl Grey chocolate cake, chicken katsu curry, and rosemary-infused caramel millionaire’s shortbread – but nothing exactly earth-shattering. I have since noticed that the wording on Gizzi’s website, for the Guinness chocolate cake that drew me in to start with (not featured in the book), has since been changed to acknowledge the fact that she ‘adapted’ it slightly from an old Nigella recipe. This may be a clue as to why this book was less imaginative than I might have hoped.
Throughout reading this, though, I kept thinking that it’s the sort of thing I would probably have really liked if I had been given it as a present when I’d been heading off to university. At that stage, I might have benefited from a good, basic Thai chicken curry or fancy pasta recipe (or it at least might have meant fewer Pot Noodles and/or desperate dinnertime phonecalls to my mum). I would certainly recommend this for the keen but clueless teenager in your life. For the slightly more advanced and/or health-conscious cook, I would recommend the first ‘Cook Yourself Thin’ book, to which Gizzi was a contributor and is packed full of pretty good ideas.
Miss Dahl’s Voluptuous Delights by Sophie Dahl I know that The Delicious Mrs Cullum has come in for a lot of stick for her foray into food. If you are one of the many who think she’s an annoyingly over-privileged dilettante, I should warn you now that I was one of the three people in the world who rather liked her telly programme. Basically, this is a cookery book for those like me – OK cooks who just want to look like a supermodel and quote a bit of poetry whilst making a not-too-taxing omelette or similar.
The book is whimsical in tone and, despite Sophie’s claims to being super-humanly greedy, most of the recipes are as feather-light as the charming little line drawings that accompany them. It is divided by meal and season (‘spring suppers’, ‘summer lunches’, ‘winter breakfasts’ and so on), which I actually think is an extremely good idea, and one that I’ve found very useful.
Sophie is a lovely writer, who is clearly passionate about food, and her philosophies for cooking and eating are just basic common sense but extremely sensible. I thoroughly enjoyed reading her nostalgic meanderings on various food-related topics, and they left me feeling inspired to cook some beautifully simple and seasonal dishes.
Alas, they weren’t really to be found in this book. I attempted the fish pie and the lemon cake, and both were sadly substandard – absolutely fine and edible (well, I thought – although my boyfriend did actually refuse to eat the ‘bland and runny’ fish pie), but I truly believe I would have achieved better results had I just been winging it by myself. A shame, as I so wanted to love it, but after that I didn’t attempt to follow any of her other recipes, as the ingredients for the first two had been quite an expensive waste.
However, I still refer to Ms Dahl fairly frequently – but as a source of inspiration rather than for great recipes to follow to the letter. The seasonal lay-out means it’s perfect for flipping through and picking up ideas – I have thus been inspired to make my own versions of things like lettuce soup and baked squash, with lovely results, which I might not have done otherwise. Plus, the cover photo inspired me to buy a wonderful pair of Le Chameau half-height wellies – so, thanks, Sophie.
How To Be A Domestic Goddess and Nigella Express by Nigella LawsonYou can hardly be surprised to hear that I worship at the altar of Saint Nigella. In fact, I just find it utterly mystifying that there seem to be people that don’t. I adore her mentalist-racehorse facial expressions, those slightly-frightened-looking extras she hires as fake friends to come to her fake house in her telly programmes, her slightly inappropriate use of adjectives like ‘luscious’, her larder that’s approximately twice the size of my flat. However, what I love most about Nigella is that I have never, ever been disappointed with any of her recipes. Not once. And I’ve made loads of them, slightly cack-handedly. They still always work, and are usually even nicer than one might feasibly expect.
All of her books are a treat but these are my favourites, and the two I have found most useful over the years. If ever I have a free Saturday and want to cook something wonderful that will make me feel brilliant about myself, the first thing I do is crack open HTBADG (catchy, that) over a morning cup of coffee, before going out to buy the chosen ingredients (preferably on a sunny day, armed with a charming wicker basket and a 50s frock, obviously – well, at least it gives me something to dream of when I’m on the bus in the rain, laden with straining Sainsburys carrier bags). I like to say it’s the best (OK, maybe only) self-help book I have ever owned. Her Store Cupboard Chocolate Orange Cake is really the best I have ever felt about my kitchen-self for the minimum effort.
‘Nigella Express’ is possibly the most useful cookery book I have ever owned – things that you really can make after work that are genuinely impressive. Her chicken cacciatore in particular has become a staple of my weekday repertoire – also her ‘cheat’ macaroni cheese (more like a Caribbean macaroni pie, and delicious). Plus, what I love most is that when she claims to eat vast quantities of ragu (by itself, from a cereal bowl, to the horror of her husband) when she’s feeling miserable, I believe her entirely.
Are we all Atkins-ed out? I’m not sure, but contemplating my large, wobbly post-Jamaica belly in the mirror last week, it was a question I had to seriously ask myself. Knowing drastic action had to be taken I bought a copy of the lastest diet book “Neris and India’s Idiot-Proof Diet”. Well, it did seem like Neris and India were normal gals going through the same pain as everyone else and they certainly had got thinner, so I decided to give it a go. It is without doubt Atkins-esque (and if that isn’t a word, it should be!) there is great emphasis on virtually no carbs, loads of fats and proteins. Low carb diets feels so wicked though, don’t they? All that butter and cream and beef, just so delicious that I can almost overcome the pain of no alcohol for the first two weeks.
One of the best parts of it is, that I can make my own mayonnaise! it’s so easy, please give it a go! You can make it by hand, but it’s really tedious to do all that beating, so it’s much, much easier to use a food processor (use the whisk attachment though, not the blades). Here’s what you need: 2 egg yolks, pinch of salt, 1/2 teaspoon dry english mustard, grind of black pepper, 10 flozs of olive oil, 1 tablespoon lemon juice…that’s it! Optional: Add all sorts of lovely flavours afterwards such as garlic, wholegrain mustard, chilli (not all at once, individually!) or crumbled roquefort cheese and a spoon of sour cream make the most divine blue cheese dressing the world!
Method: Add the egg yolks, salt, mustard and pepper in to the food processor and start to beat until it is all combined and is starting to thicken.
Keep the processor on, and gradually start to add the olive oil, a very little at a time – if you add it too quickly, it will curdle. it should start to thicken up nicely, and once it does, you can add the oil a little more quickly. Beat in a few drops of the lemon juice from time to time as this will prevent the mayonnaise getting too thick.
Continue until all the oil and lemon juice has been added. taste it for seasoning and add more lemon, salt, pepper etc according to your won tastes. There you have it! Beautiful, yellow, glossy home-made mayonnaise. Add all sorts of delicious flavouring too it, if you wish, or just have it au naturel. It’s wonderful with salads, fantastic with egg and tuna, great mashed with roquefort on top of a steak, and is even good in mashed potatoes. Store it in the fridge in a screw top jar and it will keep for about a week. Quick note, this tastes quite strongly of olive oil, if you want a lighter flavour, use sunflower oil or groundnut oil. Now….Give yourself a pat on the back, you deserve it!
The stats helper monkeys at WordPress.com mulled over how this blog did in 2010, and here’s a high level summary of its overall blog health:
The Blog-Health-o-Meter™ reads Wow.
Crunchy numbers
A Boeing 747-400 passenger jet can hold 416 passengers. This blog was viewed about 2,600 times in 2010. That’s about 6 full 747s.
In 2010, there were 62 new posts, not bad for the first year! There were 463 pictures uploaded, taking up a total of 434mb. That’s about 1 pictures per day.
I am so delighted to be able to post this recipe today, as it is courtesy of my lovely cousin in Australia, Lauren. Keep ’em coming cuz!
Lauren’s amazing Christmas cranberry bread
you need: 4 egg whites 1/2 cup caster sugar 1 cup plain flour 1 cup natural almonds & 1/2 cup frozen cranberries. Grease 12cmx22cm loaf pan & line with baking paper. beat egg whites til soft peaks form. Gradually add sugar 1 tblsp at a time beating in between adding. Beat ubtil soft & glossy. Fold in flour, almonds til combined. Fold in Cranberries. Spoon into prepared pan & smooth on top. Cook in mod. oven( 180C ) for 40 mins or until golden. Cool in pan turn out when cool & refrigerate til firm. Using a serrated knife cut into 1/2cm slices. Arrange in a single layer over 4 oven trays. Cook 2 trays at a time in a slow oven ( 150C) for 15 mins or until lightly browned. Cool. Bon Appetite ! xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx
Okay, it’s about time somebody stood up and said it. Packet bread sauce actually tastes nice. Not wonderful, but nice and in fact, is a whole lot nicer than the ready-made varieties you can buy in the supermarkets at Christmas,which for some reason never, ever taste good. What have they done to them, how can it be so tasteless?
However, home-made bread sauce is the best thing ever and tastes fantastic and is an absolute must, cold in your Christmas sandwich for Boxing Day. (trust me on this, layers of turkey, cold bread sauce, cranberry sauce,stuffing, mayonnaise and a little wholegrain mustard preferably in a crusty white baguette)
Anyway, I digress. My recipe for Bread Sauce is slightly different because I leave the onion in it, I have never understood why you would throw it away, when the flavour of soft, buttery onion is so good. This is easy to prepare in advance and put in the freezer. Just defrost on Christmas Eve, and warm gently on the day adding a little cream and the butter before serving and a little nutmeg if you like the flavour. It really is delicious.
Bread sauce
Ingredients:
1 small or half of a large, mild white onion, finely chopped (don’t even think of using a red onion, it won’t work!), 10 cloves, 10 peppercorns, 1 bayleaf and 2 sprigs of thyme, 500ml full cream milk, 50g butter, 100g of dried white breadcrumbs or cubed, stale white bread, salt and pepper to taste. To serve: 4 tablespoons double cream, 50g butter, fresh grated nutmeg
Method
Add the cloves, peppercorns, bayleaf and thyme to the milk in a non-stick saucepan
Bring to the boil, remove from the heat and cover.
Stand for at least 2 hours or overnight if preferred
Fish out the herbs, cloves and peppercorns
Melt 50g butter in a saucepan and add the finely chopped onion
Sweat the onion gently, until soft and translucent for 5 to 10 minutes – do not allow to brown.
Add the breadcrumbs
Bring to the boil
Simmer for 3-4 minutes
(If you are going to freeze the sauce, leave to cool and do it now)
Add the cream and remaining butter, do not allow to boil – Season and grate fresh nutmeg and serve
Don’t get excited, it’s not that sort of a blog. We are talking about preparing for Christmas Day and today we are making Cranberry Sauce as demonstrated by the lovely Ellie, pictured above.
Christmas is coming and I’m getting fat. Oh dear, why do I always leave the pre-Christmas diet until it’s too late? A subconscious cave woman-type instinct to put on layers of fat in cold weather, I suspect…or am I just incredibly greedy? I’ll leave you to be the judge.
Anyway,as many of you know I love celebrating Christmas and despite the fact that numbers are very reduced for us this year (only 6 vs 28 last time) doesn’t mean that there will be any less celeberation and meticulous project planning. Yes, I know I turn into the Christmas Mumzilla, but it really wouldn’t be the same without me having the occasional strop would it?
So this year’s menu is…fanfare, please.
Kir Royales, made with home-made blackberry brandy
Bloody Mary Capuccinos
Chicken Livers with a garlic, ginger and lime crust in pastry
Lobster Ravioli with Champagne pearls
Sorbet with champagne
Roast turkey with a confit of goose, accompanied by roast potatoes, brussels with chestnuts, red cabbage, peas and all the usual trimmings, stuffing, sausages, bacon rolls, bread sauce and cranberry sauce.
Christmas pudding with custard and cream
Christmas Baked Alaska
Today, however we are starting with Cranberry Sauce. Fresh cranberries are available in the supermarket from about now, and whilst you can buy fresh, cranberry sauce, it is so, so easy to make your own. I always buy them now, make and freeze the sauce; ready to take out on Christmas Eve.
Ingredients:
150g caster sugar, the Juice and zest of 1 lime and 1 orange, made up to 150 ml with water,
300g fresh cranberries.
To serve on the day: zest of 1 orange or lime OPTIONAL: Add: 2 tablespoons of triple sec, 1 tablespoon tequila: for a very grown-up “cosmopolitan meets margarita-style sauce.
METHOD:
Add the sugar, water and orange and lime juice and zest to a saucepan
Over a low heat, gently dissolve the sugar and simmer for 2-3 minutes until it is clear and syrupy
Add the cranberries and bring to the boil – this is the best bit as you can hear the beautiful little red berries popping.
Reduce to a simmer for 5 minutes
Remove from the heat, cool and freeze if you wish
Before serving: Add the orange zest and if wanted, the triple sec and vodka
(If you want to make a less alcoholic version but want the flavour, add the booze at the end of the cooking and boil for a further few minutes which will burn off the alcohol but leave the taste)
And that’s it! Watch this space over the next weeks for more Christmas loveliness.
I am very pleased to welcome back one of our favourite teams of guest bloggers, Pete and Lynda Russell have been taking it for the team and putting themselves through the agony of wine tasting in North Sonoma….it’s a tough job, but someone had to do it. Over to you, guys…I’m booking my next California holiday NOW
RRV’s AVA (American Viticultural Area – similar to the French Appellation d’Origine Contrôlée (AOC) system) dates from 1983 when just under 100,000 acres was accorded AVA status. Now with near on 130,000 acres under vines, it’s proximity to the Pacific, the relatively cool climate and the evening fog, plus the river bed location, make it ideal for growing Burgundian grape types such as Chardonnay and Pinot Noir.
The reason for our visit? Does the value and quality match that of Burgundy and/or New Zealand? We booked into the “West Sonoma Inn & Spa” for an overnight stay, spotted that “The Restaurant at Applewood” had recently been awarded a Michelin star, and booked there for dinner.
At just around 90 minutes after leaving our home in the East Bay, we found ourselves at the “Hartford Family Winery” on the western reaches of Russian River.
We’d heard that Hartford’s wines were often rated in the 90s (out of 100, the Robert Parker way, see http://www.erobertparker.com/info/legend.asp), and were anxious to try their Burgundian varietals. We had intended to taste at 2 vineyards, this one and “Sbragia” (Ed Sbragia recently retired from Beringer and was responsible for the best Chardonnay we’ve had) way up north in the RRV region, but after an incredible 11 wine taste at Hartford, our palates were too tired for Sbragia. I won’t regale you details of all 11 wines, but here’s the three we bought:
Hartford Court 2008 Stone Cote Chardonnay: This wine had spent 11 months in oak, had that delightful vanilla spiciness on the nose which indicates a Mersault-like Chardonnay. One to cellar for 2 years or so.
Hartford Court 2008 Fog Dance Pinot Noir: Grown in the cool Green valley district, we noted cherry, raspberry and rose like aromas, some tannin in the taste indicates its youth, its all round elegance make this an outstanding, subtle Pinot which will take a few years in the bottle before giving its best, although it’s drinking well now so we’ll probably drink it this Thanksgiving.
Hartford 2007 Russian River Valley Zinfandel: Very different from the big, chewy Zins we have been drinking lately. The cool climate here makes for a longer growing period with less tannin. We thought this very elegant, again cellaring for a couple of years will be beneficial.
A relaxing lunch was now called for, and as chance would have it, the “Korbel Champagne Cellars” tasting room just up the road had a deli/cafe that had been recommended. Pete ordered a salami and brie sandwich washed down with a Mimosa (Buck’s Fizz to you and me), and Lynda chose the pulled pork sandwich and Pomegranite Bellini. Fortified, we ventured into Korbel’s tasting room. Now Korbel have been making sparling wine by the méthode champenoise technique since the mid-1890s, but we’d seen their Brut Rose in supermarkets, and were put of by the price (cheap, around $10 per bottle) and label design, I know, how very silly!
We inserted ourselves into the milling throng, everybody anxious to get their 4 tastes for free, and I must say we were agreeably surprised. We chose to taste the Korbel Natural ($12), Korbel Brut ($10), the Korbel Chardonnay ($10) and the Korbel Extra Dry ($18.50), all champagnes and all very drinkable, especially in Lynda’s new love, champagne cocktails, of which more in a later post! We purchased a bottle of the Chardonnay-based champagne and hi-tailed it to our hotel for a nap before dinner.
Not much to be said for the West Sonoma Inn & Spa, except it was good value and very acceptable for an overnight stay.
Over at The Applewood, Bruce Frieseke, executive chef, is ‘amazed’ at his newly minted Michelin star, he’s off the beaten track, Guerneville is not one of California’s most elegant towns, and a 10-roomed B&B isn’t a natural for Michelin recognition. Apart from a little cock-up with the timing of the starter, we thought it was great and tremendous value. As one would expect from a Michelin-starred restaurant, the food was thoughtfully designed, elegantly presented and left us in no doubt that the kitchen deserved it’s accolade. But the way the menu was presented was an object lesson in how to sell wine. With each dish, the wine list recommended an old world wine bottle, a new world wine bottle and a wine by the glass. We had brought along a bottle of red and a bottle of white since the restaurant allows its clientele to bring its own wines at a cost of $20 corkage/bottle, but we decided to go with the recommended wines by the glass. For starters, Pete’s Croquette of Salt Cod Brandade with Grilled White Shrimp in a Guajillo Chili Broth was very pleasing, the broth adding a piquancy to the flavour with the chewy flesh of the three whole shrimp complementing the softness of the croquette. As we all know, Lynda’s love affair with fungi has still a long way to go, and her Madeira Scented Forest Mushrooms, Soft Cooked Duck Egg and Truffle didn’t disappoint. Lynda’s entree of Braised Short Rib of Beef, Pumpkin Polenta, Cipollini Onion with Parmigiano and Sage looked almost chocolaty on the plate and was rich enough to deserve this description, the polenta acting as a foil for the richness. Pete had to help out, since Lynda couldn’t manage to eat it all. Pete meanwhile decided to see what Wagyu Beef was all about with Grilled Bavette of Wagyu Beef, Chanterelle Mushrooms, Brown Butter Celeriac in a Bone Marrow Bordelaise. The expected ‘liver like’ mouth feel of the beef was there, but the beef was tasty and went perfectly well with the mushrooms, celeriac and sauce. Whilst he wouldn’t fault the kitchen, Pete will stick with rib-eye steak or Prime-Rib in future. He also couldn’t resist the Garden Pear Frangipane Tart with Huckleberries, Crème Anglaise and Mint Whipped Cream, a heavenly concoction which he washed down with a N.V. Chambers Rosewood Muscadelle (Tokay) from Australia, while Lynda made do with a glass of alcoholic raisin juice, a.k.a. El Maestro Sierra Pedro Ximenez from Jerez in Spain.
By now we were feeling no pain, especially since the Applewood was exceedingly good value for a Its Michelin star, and we got back to the West Sonoma Inn & Spa without incident.
So, how did Russian River match up? We loved the quality of the wines at Hartford, definitely up a notch up on New Zealand, and we think better value than Burgundy for an equivalent quality.
I often ask myself whether I am a competitive person, and whilst I would probably answer “No”; everybody who knows and loves me would fall off their chairs laughing and recount many tales of my cheating at Scrabble, Monopoly….oh, the list goes on. All spurious lies of course, they are just bad losers! However, one of my most fun and definitely entertaining current competitive pastimes (rivalled only by The Court Drive Tomato competition) has been the Cooking competition I have been having with two other friends who are no amateurs in the kitchen. The deal is that we take it in turns to host a dinner party every few months, pretend none of us are doing any preparation or work whatsoever, whilst secretly scouring the pages of every cookbook known to man, and then effortlessly (supposedly!) produce a multi-course extravaganza to try and out-
Richard - currently in poll position
do the last chef’s efforts. Generally served with a nonchalant shrug of the shoulders and a well-hidden sense of relief. Well, the stakes ahve indeed been raised as our visit to Richard and Lisa’s was an absolute feast. Check this out….oh dear, my turn soon, where is Delia when you need her??
Richard (and Lisa’s) Hot, smoking dinner party
We started with some of Richard’s delicious smoked trout (recipe to follow) but here are the recipes for the main course and dessert.
Duck 3-ways – Richard’s recipe
Duck cooked three ways
Hot smoked duck breast.
I like to make this in batches and freeze it. It’s great hot or cold with a celeriac remoulade or orange dressed salad. You will need: 6 duck breasts, 1 good pinch of black pepper, 1 good pinch of salt, 2 tbsn of olive oil.
Method.: Light the BBQ. in advance. Rub the oil, salt and pepper into the duck and leave in the fridge covered for 30 mins. After the 30 mins pat dry with some paper and place into a hot smoking pan suspended above some wood chips. Heat on full heat on the bbq for 30 mins. If you are going to eat it cold place in a sealbale plastic bag and immerse immediately into iced water (to stop cooking processes) for at least 10 mins or serve warm as is. Leave them in the bags freeze it. To serve from frozen, defrost naturally, and still in the bag immerse in boiling water for a maximum of 10 mins. Carve it and serve.
Celeriac Remoulade.
This is a basic coleslaw with a difference. It can be made a day in advance but is always better the same day. You will need:1 Celeriac, Mayonnaise (home-made if you’re feeling fancy!), Anchovies (smoked if you can find them), Caper, Dijon Mustard, some Cornichons, Sweet Silverskin Pickled Onions, Salt and Pepper to taste.
Method: Finely chop the capers, anchovies, cornichon, pickled onions. Grate the celeriac and place in a non metal bowl. Combine the mayonnaise and the chopped capers, anchovies, cornichon, pickled onions and dijon mustard. Combine the Celeriac and the mayonnaise mix together. You will note there are no measures in this remoulade recipe. This is because you should taste as you go getting it just right for you. Season with the salt and pepper.
Cured Duck Breast with Pickled Ginger and Chilli Dressing
It is nearly impossible to buy cured duck in the UK but it is so nice and so easy to make.
Salt cure for 6 duck breasts¾ teaspoon freshly ground black peppercorns, ¾ teaspoon of freshly ground coriander seeds., 1 ½ teaspoons of fresh thyme leaves, 3 bay leaves, 75 g salt, 60 g sugar
Method.Combine the pepper, coriander, thyme and bay leaves into a mortar and pestle. Grind them one more time. Then add the salt and the sugar. Now take 6 duck breasts, pat them dry with paper, coat the breasts with the cure and place in a non metallic bowl. Make sure each breast is completely coated and poor any excess cure mixture into the bowl. Cover with cling film and place in the fridge to cure. I like mine quite strong so recently cured them for 26 ½ hours. If you want a more subtle flavour I recommend a minimum of 12 hours. I suggest you read the whole recipe first as if you like a more subtle cure you may want to make the dressing first. After the duck has cured remove from the bowl and wash off all the cure. Place in a glass ovenproof dish with 300 mls of tepid water. Then place in a preheated oven at 160 deg C for 20 mins. Carve lengthways and serve with the dressing. Great hot or cold.
For the Pickled Ginger and Chilli dressing. This makes a tangy dressing that really cuts through the cured duck., 110g fresh Ginger., 1 ½ chillies (not too hot)., 40g sugar, 300 ml white wine vinegar, 6 juniper berries, 1 cinnamon stick.
Method.:Peel the ginger and slice it into matchsticks. Thinly slice the chilli. In a small bowl or jar combine the ginger and chilli with 1 teaspoon of salt and set aside. Pour the vinegar, remaining salt, juniper berries and cinnamon stick into a pan and bring to boil. Once the pan has boiled for 5 mins add the ginger, chilli salt mix you reserved earlier. Turn off the heat and cover allowing to cool. Place on a shelf in the kitchen for 24 hrs.
Confit of Duck.
This is a real winter favourite in my family. Served with either a red wine bean and chorizo stew or with an orange dressed salad. Everyone thinks confit of duck is hard to make. Nothing could be further from the truth! If stored correctly will keep in a shelf in the garage for 3 months or in a fridge for 6 months. It is simply the original fast food, for those days when you don’t want to spend ages in the kitchen. I make mine in batches of 6 in advance, I deliver a roasted duck leg that is tender and moist in 20 mins from the fridge. You will need: 6 duck legs, 40 g of salt flakes, 1 good pinch of freshly ground pepper, 2 tspns fresh thyme leaves, 6 cloves of fresh garlic (crushed), 1 tablespoon of olive oil., 3 x 300 ml tins of goose fat.
Combine the thyme, salt, pepper, garlic and olive oil in a small bowl. Smear the mixture (known as “the cure”) all over the duck legs and place in a non metallic bowl. Cover with cling film and place in the fridge for 12 hrs. After 12 hrs take the duck legs out of the fridge, preheat the oven to 160 deg C. Place the duck legs into a roasting pan, leave the cure on the duck legs it adds flavour. Here you must be careful, as the more space left in the pan after the duck legs are in it, the more goose fat you will need. Now pour into the pan the goose fat making sure you cover the duck legs. Place in the oven for 1 hr and 15 mins. If you intend to store your confit, have a clean non metallic container with a lid ready. Allow the pan to cool for 5 or 10 mins. Then using tongs remove the duck legs (careful the fat will still be hot) and pack them into the container. I use a tupperware container with a locking lid. Once packed pour the goose fat over the duck legs. Ensure you fully cover the legs in goose fat. Place the lid on the container and store. To warm up simply remove a duck leg and place it on a roasting tray in an oven heated to 150 deg C for 15 mins.
Orange Dressed Salad: A simple salad the cuts through the fat of duck especially confit. It takes 5 mins to make. But the dressing is better made earlier the same day. You will need: 1 bag Watercress, A good pinch of salt, A good pinch of pepper3 oranges., ½ glass of orange juice, Olive oil
Salted Caramel Chocolate Tart -(Serves 8) – Lisa’s recipes
1 x quantity sweet shortcrust pastry, enough for a 23cm diameter, 3cm deep tart tin
For the caramel: 225g caster sugar, 100g cold butter, cubed, 100ml double cream, 1 heaped tsp sea salt flakes
1) Heat the oven to 180dec C (170 fan oven), gas 4. Thoroughly butter a 23cm x 3cm deep tart tin. Roll out the pastry to no more than 5cm thickness, put into the tin, prick the base all over with a fork and put in the freezer for 10mins.
2) Remove the pastry from the freezer, and line with tin foil and baking beans. Blind-bake in the oven for 15-20mins. Take out of the oven, remove the beans and foil, brush the pastry with a little beaten egg, and put back into the oven for another 3-5mins until golden. Remove and set aside.
3) Put the sugar and 75ml water into a pan over a low heat to dissolve. Then add the butter and keep stirring to melt. Once melted turn up the heat, and leave to bubble away for 15-20mins until it has turned to a light toffee colour, stirring occasionally. Mix in the cream and sea salt, and boil for a further 3-5mins until slightly thickened. Allow to cool.
4) Gently melt the butter and chocolate in a bowl over a pan of simmering water, stirring now and again. Whisk the sugar, eggs and egg yolks until thick and creamy. Once the chocolate and butter have melted, leave to cool for 1min then add to the sugar and egg mixture, whisking until glossy.
5) Spread the caramel over the pastry base, and carefully spoon over the chocolate mixture, spreading evenly. Bake for 20mins or until almost set but still wobbly. Allow to cool in the tin before serving.
Serve with a berry coulis (I made raspberry and blackberry) and crème fraiche.
To follow with coffee:
Bramble Marshmallows (from “Good Food Magazine) Makes about 50
1) Line a 20x30cm tin with baking parchment. Mix the icing sugar and cornflour together in a bowl and dust some of it onto the parchment. Dissolve the gelatine in 150ml hot water in a heatproof jug.
2) Put the granulated sugar and liquid glucose into a pan with 200ml water, and dissolve. Then turn up the heat and boil until it reaches 125deg C on a sugar thermometer (firm ball stage). While this is boiling, beat the egg whites with an electric whisk until stiff.
3) When the syrup is ready, pour onto the egg whites in a steady stream and continue whisking, and also add the vanilla extract. Continue whisking for around 10mins until the mixture is very thick and glossy.
4) Pour half the mixture into the tin, and scatter the blackberries over. Then add the other half of the mixture and smooth. Cover with clingfilm and leave to set in a cool place for at least 2hrs. Best eaten within 48hrs.
Chocolate & Nut Fudge
Makes about 50
Depending on how rich you want the fudge, alter the ratio of dark:milk chocolate, this ratio is very rich!
250g plain chocolate, finely broken up, 100g milk chocolate, finely broken up, 350g tin condensed milk, 1tsp vanilla extract, Your choice of nuts (I used macadamia)
1) Line a 15x23cm tin with baking parchment. Put the chocolate and condensed milk into a heat-proof bowl and melt slowly over a pan of simmering water. Stir occasionally.
2) Stir in the vanilla essence and empty into the tin. Level the surface and sprinkle on the chopped nuts, pressing them lightly into the fudge. Cover and chill until firm, around 3hrs. Can be kept for upto 1month.
(N.B. Lisa’s recipes are from the “Good Food Magazine”.
You will need: 1 onion and 2 cloves of garlic, chopped finely, Small handful of fresh parsley (approx. 3 sprigs) chopped finely, 500g raw chicken livers, 250g slightly salted butter, ½ teaspoon of Tabasco, 2 teaspoons dried English mustard, 2 tablespoons brandy (Optional), Salt and pepper to taste; 2 tablespoons groundnut oil
Method:
In a frying pan, add 1 of the tablespoons of groundnut oil and place over a medium heat
Remove the chicken livers and set aside on a plate, to cool slightly. (Ellie pictured to the left, about to remove them) Place the second spoon of groundnut oil in the frying pan. Add the onion and garlic and parsley to the pan and cook on low for about 10 minutes minutes until they become translucent but not brown
The Bombay Boys 
