Sunday, 16 October 2011
Saturday, 15 October 2011
FRENCH ONION SOUP
Ingredients
3 medium onions
2oz butter
2tsps flour
1½ pints stock (or water)
pinch of caster sugar
freshly ground pepper
salt
French bread
butter
2oz grated cheese
Peel the onions and slice very thinly
Melt the butter in a saucepan, add the onions and fry gently for about 20 minutes, stirring constantly until lightly but evenly browned. Stir in the flour and cook for a few minutes.
Stir in the stock, sugar and seasoning. Simmer for a further 20 minutes.
Lightly toast the bread and then toast again with the cheese on top.
Pour the soup into bowls and serve with toasted cheesy bread on top.
3 medium onions
2oz butter
2tsps flour
1½ pints stock (or water)
pinch of caster sugar
freshly ground pepper
salt
French bread
butter
2oz grated cheese
Peel the onions and slice very thinly
Melt the butter in a saucepan, add the onions and fry gently for about 20 minutes, stirring constantly until lightly but evenly browned. Stir in the flour and cook for a few minutes.
Stir in the stock, sugar and seasoning. Simmer for a further 20 minutes.
Lightly toast the bread and then toast again with the cheese on top.
Pour the soup into bowls and serve with toasted cheesy bread on top.
POTAGE BRETON
Ingredients (Serves 4)
2 rashers lean streaky bacon, cut into small pieces
1oz butter
1 onion, chopped
1½lb potatoes, peeled and sliced
1 pint stock
salt
pepper
2 large carrots, peeled
chopped parsley
Fry bacon slowly in the saucepan, add butter and melt.
Add the onion and potatoes and fry slowly for 5 minutes, without colouring.
Add the stock, bring to the boil, cover and simmer for ½ hour until potatoes are tender and start ½reaking up.
Blend, return to saucepan and check seasoning. Add finely grated carrot and continue to cook for a further 10 minutes, serve garnished with parsley.
2 rashers lean streaky bacon, cut into small pieces
1oz butter
1 onion, chopped
1½lb potatoes, peeled and sliced
1 pint stock
salt
pepper
2 large carrots, peeled
chopped parsley
Fry bacon slowly in the saucepan, add butter and melt.
Add the onion and potatoes and fry slowly for 5 minutes, without colouring.
Add the stock, bring to the boil, cover and simmer for ½ hour until potatoes are tender and start ½reaking up.
Blend, return to saucepan and check seasoning. Add finely grated carrot and continue to cook for a further 10 minutes, serve garnished with parsley.
SEAFOOD LINGUINE
Ingredients
400g clams
300g mussels
2 tbsp olive oil
3 cloves garlic
1 pinch dried oregano
350g linguine
400g chopped tomatoes
1tbsp chopped basil
Scrub the shellfish under running water, remove beards from the mussels. Discard any with damaged shells or that do not close when sharply tapped.
Heat 1 tbsp of oil in a frying pan, add one clove of garlic and oregano. Add clams and cook for 5 minutes until they open. Remove from heat and discard any closed clams. Keep back 1 tbsp of the cooking juices.
Put the mussels into a pan with 150ml of water, ring to the boil and cook for 5 minutes, shaking the pan occassionally. Discard any mussels that are still closed.
Preheat the oven to 220c / gas mark 7. Cook the linguine until al dente and drain.
Heat the remaining oil in a pan and the remaining garlic and cook for a few minutes. Add the tomateoes, linguine, shellfish, basil and clam juices and seasoning. Stir then spoon the mixture into a large sheet of foil, fold over and seal edges, bake for 5 minutes and serve immediately.
400g clams
300g mussels
2 tbsp olive oil
3 cloves garlic
1 pinch dried oregano
350g linguine
400g chopped tomatoes
1tbsp chopped basil
Scrub the shellfish under running water, remove beards from the mussels. Discard any with damaged shells or that do not close when sharply tapped.
Heat 1 tbsp of oil in a frying pan, add one clove of garlic and oregano. Add clams and cook for 5 minutes until they open. Remove from heat and discard any closed clams. Keep back 1 tbsp of the cooking juices.
Put the mussels into a pan with 150ml of water, ring to the boil and cook for 5 minutes, shaking the pan occassionally. Discard any mussels that are still closed.
Preheat the oven to 220c / gas mark 7. Cook the linguine until al dente and drain.
Heat the remaining oil in a pan and the remaining garlic and cook for a few minutes. Add the tomateoes, linguine, shellfish, basil and clam juices and seasoning. Stir then spoon the mixture into a large sheet of foil, fold over and seal edges, bake for 5 minutes and serve immediately.
DAUPHINOISE POTATOES
This creamy Dauphinoise is delicious when served with a fillet steak, seared in a hot pan, and grilled tomatoes. For a contrasting texture, make a lightly dressed crisp green salad, too.
Ingredients
25g butter, plus extra for greasing
1kg even-sized floury potatoes, such as King Edward or Maris Piper
1 onion, thinly sliced
284ml carton double cream
75ml milk
Preheat the oven to 190°C/fan170°C/gas 5. Grease a large, shallow baking dish with butter.
Slice the potatoes as thinly as you can, either using a mandolin, or with a very sharp knife. Layer up evenly in the baking dish, along with the onion slices, seasoning as you go. Pour over the cream and milk, dot over the butter and cover the dish with foil.
Place on a baking sheet and bake for 1 hour. Discard the foil and bake for a further 15-20 minutes, or until the potatoes are cooked through and golden.
25g butter, plus extra for greasing
1kg even-sized floury potatoes, such as King Edward or Maris Piper
1 onion, thinly sliced
284ml carton double cream
75ml milk
Preheat the oven to 190°C/fan170°C/gas 5. Grease a large, shallow baking dish with butter.
Slice the potatoes as thinly as you can, either using a mandolin, or with a very sharp knife. Layer up evenly in the baking dish, along with the onion slices, seasoning as you go. Pour over the cream and milk, dot over the butter and cover the dish with foil.
Place on a baking sheet and bake for 1 hour. Discard the foil and bake for a further 15-20 minutes, or until the potatoes are cooked through and golden.
LASAGNE WITH MUSHROOMS AND PESTO
Adapted from a recipe in Nigel Slater’s The Kitchen Diaries
Ingredients
Lasagne sheets
For the bechamel
1 litre whole milk
3 heaped tablespoons flour
45g butter
For the pesto
60g pine nuts
2 big bunches basil, giving about 4 handfuls of leaves
4 tablespoons grated parmesan
2 tablespoons olive oil
2 cloves garlic, peeled
For the sautéed mushrooms
A thick slice of butter
1 large onion, chopped
2 cloves garlic, thinly sliced
500g mushrooms, sliced
1 handful chopped parsley
10g porcini mushrooms
2 tablespoons grated parmesan
Preheat the oven to 180°C.
Start with the mushrooms. Sauté the onions and garlic in the butter over a medium heat for around 20 minutes until definitely soft and transparent. Meanwhile cover the porcini in around 100ml of boiling water. After the onions have softened, add the mushrooms, porcini with their cooking water, parsley and a couple of tablespoons grated parmesan. Cook with the lid half on, allowing quite a lot of moisture to escape, for around 20 minutes, until the mushrooms are coloured and nice and soft.
During this sauté time, you can make the pesto by putting all the ingredients in a food processor, and processing it until it forms a paste. Don’t worry too much about the consistency (too dry, too wet), as it will blend into the bechamel during cooking.
Prepare the bechamel by melting the butter in a saucepan, and then cooking in the flour as a roux for a few minutes. Remove from the heat and whisk in the milk gradually until it has all been incorporated. Return to the heat and cook, stirring fairly assiduously, for 10 to 15 minutes until glossy and thickened.
Now my favourite bit: find an ovenproof dish around 20x25cm. Ladle in a bit of the bechamel to cover the bottom, then put a layer of lasagna sheets. Follow this with half the mushroom mixture (if it is still very liquidy, then lift out just the mushrooms with a slotted spoon). Follow with a quarter of the bechamel. Now a layer of pasta, the rest of the mushrooms, another quarter of the bechamel, and another layer of pasta. Spread the pesto over this final pasta layer, and top with the rest of the bechamel. Give a good grating of parmesan over the top, and bake for around 30-40 minutes until there are browned bits on top.
Lasagne sheets
For the bechamel
1 litre whole milk
3 heaped tablespoons flour
45g butter
For the pesto
60g pine nuts
2 big bunches basil, giving about 4 handfuls of leaves
4 tablespoons grated parmesan
2 tablespoons olive oil
2 cloves garlic, peeled
For the sautéed mushrooms
A thick slice of butter
1 large onion, chopped
2 cloves garlic, thinly sliced
500g mushrooms, sliced
1 handful chopped parsley
10g porcini mushrooms
2 tablespoons grated parmesan
Preheat the oven to 180°C.
Start with the mushrooms. Sauté the onions and garlic in the butter over a medium heat for around 20 minutes until definitely soft and transparent. Meanwhile cover the porcini in around 100ml of boiling water. After the onions have softened, add the mushrooms, porcini with their cooking water, parsley and a couple of tablespoons grated parmesan. Cook with the lid half on, allowing quite a lot of moisture to escape, for around 20 minutes, until the mushrooms are coloured and nice and soft.
During this sauté time, you can make the pesto by putting all the ingredients in a food processor, and processing it until it forms a paste. Don’t worry too much about the consistency (too dry, too wet), as it will blend into the bechamel during cooking.
Prepare the bechamel by melting the butter in a saucepan, and then cooking in the flour as a roux for a few minutes. Remove from the heat and whisk in the milk gradually until it has all been incorporated. Return to the heat and cook, stirring fairly assiduously, for 10 to 15 minutes until glossy and thickened.
Now my favourite bit: find an ovenproof dish around 20x25cm. Ladle in a bit of the bechamel to cover the bottom, then put a layer of lasagna sheets. Follow this with half the mushroom mixture (if it is still very liquidy, then lift out just the mushrooms with a slotted spoon). Follow with a quarter of the bechamel. Now a layer of pasta, the rest of the mushrooms, another quarter of the bechamel, and another layer of pasta. Spread the pesto over this final pasta layer, and top with the rest of the bechamel. Give a good grating of parmesan over the top, and bake for around 30-40 minutes until there are browned bits on top.
SMOKED MACKEREL FISHCAKES
Ingredients
300g/10½oz ready-cooked mashed potato
300g/10½oz smoked mackerel, flaked, any bones removed
1 tbsp chopped parsley
2 tsp horseradish cream
salt and freshly ground black pepper
100g/3½oz plain flour
2 free-range eggs, beaten
100g/3½oz polenta
vegetable oil, for frying
For the salad
100g/3½oz ready-made mayonnaise
1 lemon, juice and zest
100g/3½oz carrot, cooked and cut into cubes
100g/3½oz edamame beans
100g/3½oz green beans, cooked and chopped
100g/3½oz canned chickpeas, drained and rinsed
Mix the mashed potato, smoked mackerel, parsley and horseradish cream together in a bowl and season well with salt and freshly ground black pepper.
Mould the mixture into six equal-sized fishcakes.
Chill in the fridge for 20 minutes.
Remove the fishcakes from the fridge and dredge in flour, then dip into beaten egg to completely coat, then dip into the polenta to completely cover.
Heat the oil in a deep frying pan until hot, but not smoking, and shallow-fry the fishcakes for 3-4 minutes on each side, until golden-brown all over and cooked through. (If the fishcakes are browning too much but not hot in the middle, place onto a baking tray and bake for 5-6 minutes in an oven preheated to 200C/400F/Gas 6.)
For the salad, combine the mayonnaise, lemon zest and juice in a bowl.
Add the carrots, edamame beans, green beans and chickpeas and mix well.
To serve, place a spoonful of salad onto each plate and top with a hot fishcake.
300g/10½oz ready-cooked mashed potato
300g/10½oz smoked mackerel, flaked, any bones removed
1 tbsp chopped parsley
2 tsp horseradish cream
salt and freshly ground black pepper
100g/3½oz plain flour
2 free-range eggs, beaten
100g/3½oz polenta
vegetable oil, for frying
For the salad
100g/3½oz ready-made mayonnaise
1 lemon, juice and zest
100g/3½oz carrot, cooked and cut into cubes
100g/3½oz edamame beans
100g/3½oz green beans, cooked and chopped
100g/3½oz canned chickpeas, drained and rinsed
Mix the mashed potato, smoked mackerel, parsley and horseradish cream together in a bowl and season well with salt and freshly ground black pepper.
Mould the mixture into six equal-sized fishcakes.
Chill in the fridge for 20 minutes.
Remove the fishcakes from the fridge and dredge in flour, then dip into beaten egg to completely coat, then dip into the polenta to completely cover.
Heat the oil in a deep frying pan until hot, but not smoking, and shallow-fry the fishcakes for 3-4 minutes on each side, until golden-brown all over and cooked through. (If the fishcakes are browning too much but not hot in the middle, place onto a baking tray and bake for 5-6 minutes in an oven preheated to 200C/400F/Gas 6.)
For the salad, combine the mayonnaise, lemon zest and juice in a bowl.
Add the carrots, edamame beans, green beans and chickpeas and mix well.
To serve, place a spoonful of salad onto each plate and top with a hot fishcake.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)