tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-25781516073687471822024-03-19T08:48:32.993+00:00As Strong As SoupPhil in the Kitchenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15904292856978631382noreply@blogger.comBlogger306125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2578151607368747182.post-28396136823670452352024-03-13T00:11:00.000+00:002024-03-13T00:11:19.680+00:00Bill's Baked Tuna Risotto<p>Last Christmas I was saddened to hear the news that Bill Granger had gone. When I first came across the book "Sydney Food" at the start of the new century, it felt refreshing and joyful. There were many high-profile books published at the time that I found repetitious and dull, but Bill's sunny, carefree food was never forbidding and always relaxed and interesting. Reading his recipes made me want to make them or, at least, something inspired by them. If I strayed away from the details of his recipes here and there, it didn't seem to matter. For me, cooks that inspire in that way are rare and always uplifting. </p><p>Since then, I've collected a modest pile of his books and made many meals over the years using his recipes, even if I've altered them a bit along the way. Incidentally, BG was called the "egg king" because of his famous, Australian-style scrambled eggs made with a serious amount of cream, but, I suppose because of my European background, that's one of the few recipes that has never really appealed to me. Sorry, Bill.</p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"> <a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhT_EdBMe82pefkO1L_yK5CsA41GNQiHsj4W-g2gnzqXntPKxyAvkMtNdgmZkQG-sUuXnZUfzFQkdJih9iU_ccDS6RbOZCOMziRtGhjZbPDlWsqINGOVjB-2LoEhGbS8mtKlyFsfjitATPwb3yLqvhkHhqZg6R_lFFkiJdkYmqlANe9BJ9gpGlvxI4PID8H/s1500/Sydney%20Food.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="Sydney Food" border="0" data-original-height="1302" data-original-width="1500" height="421" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhT_EdBMe82pefkO1L_yK5CsA41GNQiHsj4W-g2gnzqXntPKxyAvkMtNdgmZkQG-sUuXnZUfzFQkdJih9iU_ccDS6RbOZCOMziRtGhjZbPDlWsqINGOVjB-2LoEhGbS8mtKlyFsfjitATPwb3yLqvhkHhqZg6R_lFFkiJdkYmqlANe9BJ9gpGlvxI4PID8H/w400-h348/Sydney%20Food.jpg" title="Sydney Food" width="485" /></a></div><p>Of all his recipes, this very easy but very tasty “risotto” is the one I've made the most. I've probably strayed away from Bill's original as the years go by (I haven't checked) but I'm sure that he wouldn't object. Back in my working days, if I was getting home late, I'd buy a few courgettes from the local shop, grab the rest of the ingredients from the cupboard and put this together as quickly as possible. It was always successful and unfailingly pleasing and soothing. Years later, it's still a dish I revisit. </p><p>Just a few notes about the recipe (or my version of it): </p><p></p><ul style="text-align: left;"><li>Tuna in olive oil gives the best feel and flavour, I think, but tuna in spring water will work, if you're cutting down on fat. The better the quality of the tuna, then the better the “risotto” will be. In this country, that usually means the excellent Spanish products that turn up quite widely. I admit that they're rarely cheap, but they're worth it. <p></p></li><li>Use whatever risotto rice you have or prefer. I always use carnaroli rice, but that's because another hugely inspiring chef, Antonio Carluccio, told me back in the 1980s that it's the rice I should always have in my cupboard. So I do.<p></p></li><li>Yes, I know that this isn't truly a risotto. It's a baked rice dish. We could debate this in more detail, but it's a good day for surfing in Australia and, in the UK, there's a some cricket on TV that needs watching. <p></p></li><li>This will serve 2, quite generously.</li></ul><p></p><p style="text-align: center;">I'll miss the imaginative food and the forever genial smile. </p><p style="text-align: center;">Thanks, Bill.</p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiyX1n_c9CLNyeL5C6KmnR6AfDg-wsGFGlSCmz1ipiYFW71XAdXPXJVgSMUrAiqxly-tgrPVqHpmj1froD-5kWLEqU0HMI3AeGPMOjEIulO1VGXIKN4Q8I2wi8-uU8a_YJ3wlFAyUDkvo5Eb7xnrrs54w37TZ5K4IBl-w2Y8UQLAiSkVUVdHNMXFT2Xpwlt/s1530/Bill's%20Risotto%202.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="Bill's Tuna Risotto" border="0" data-original-height="1119" data-original-width="1530" height="355" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiyX1n_c9CLNyeL5C6KmnR6AfDg-wsGFGlSCmz1ipiYFW71XAdXPXJVgSMUrAiqxly-tgrPVqHpmj1froD-5kWLEqU0HMI3AeGPMOjEIulO1VGXIKN4Q8I2wi8-uU8a_YJ3wlFAyUDkvo5Eb7xnrrs54w37TZ5K4IBl-w2Y8UQLAiSkVUVdHNMXFT2Xpwlt/w400-h293/Bill's%20Risotto%202.jpg" title="Bill's Tuna Risotto" width="485" /></a></div><br /><p>1 shallot or ½ onion, finely-chopped</p><p>150g drained weight of tuna from a jar or can (The <i>exact</i> amount isn't too crucial).</p><p>150g risotto rice</p><p>185ml vegetable stock (chicken or fish will be fine too, but veg stock made with bouillon powder is so much easier and quicker, if you're busy) </p><p>200g chopped tomatoes, from a can</p><p>2 small (or 1 large) courgettes, finely sliced (Again, don't worry too much about the exact size)</p><p>A little balsamic glaze (and maybe some grated Parmesan), to finish</p><p><br /></p><p>Heat the oven to 180°C (fan). Find a lidded casserole, ideally one you can use on the hob as well as in the oven - I use a 2.6 litre cast-iron casserole dish.</p><p>Soften the shallot or onion in oil over a medium heat for 5 minutes (or a bit longer, if you have the time). Add the rice and stir for 1 minute or so.</p><p>Add the stock and chopped tomatoes. Stir in the drained tuna, breaking up any larger pieces, followed by the sliced courgettes. Bring to a simmer and season with salt and pepper. Cover and bake in the oven for 30 minutes.</p><p>To serve, you don't need to do much but, I think, a little drizzle of balsamic glaze on the finished dish is nice. I think Bill might have finished with some grated Parmesan, so don't let me stop you doing the same.</p>Phil in the Kitchenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15904292856978631382noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2578151607368747182.post-44607099626952406722024-02-13T23:06:00.000+00:002024-02-13T23:06:11.196+00:00Duck with Rhubarb & Fennel Sauce<p>In the area around Amiens in the Somme they take rhubarb very seriously and this recipe is based (pretty loosely) on a dish from there. The sauce has a sweet and sour quality that's sharp enough to cut through the rich flavour of duck but it will also work very well with pork, goose or guinea fowl. </p><p>If you're using sweet, forced rhubarb such as the superb product from the Rhubarb Triangle in Yorkshire, then it won't need much (if any) sweetening. If in doubt, use the minimum amount of grenadine and add any necessary sweetening at the end. </p><p>Despite my sincere attempts to be lazy, I'm now reluctantly forced to admit that the very best grenadine is homemade. Unless you're obsessed with cocktails, though, you probably don't have any, so use whatever commercial brand you fancy. If you don't have any grenadine at all, then just sweeten with honey, agave nectar or even plain sugar, but combine them with a little pomegranate molasses, if possible.</p><p>The sauce can be made in advance and reheated when the duck is ready to serve. The amounts here will make enough sauce for 4 portions and making less isn't as easy. If you have any sauce left over, then it will freeze very well. (Apologies for the shabby picture; I was having camera problems)</p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjKz7wUTMcUW0HmMvVQEtVyDm0aGsdPdZbYLRwsdGURgQCU3W8Og3BLX3452_21EQI_VdPn7HMHSthtFJ10Htxp53rQCNH_yUNkVTXOhT99LRg2MdjoYOerBiSXmPIpI7TQUgSyXACeDC21e8i40zXX8YBNF1JpwbcU3UZVmwQBfqDCSHU_Fh4XqPQRHQ/s1500/Duck%20with%20Fennel%20and%20Rhubarb%20Sauce.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="Duck with Rhubarb & Fennel Sauce" border="0" data-original-height="825" data-original-width="1500" height="267" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjKz7wUTMcUW0HmMvVQEtVyDm0aGsdPdZbYLRwsdGURgQCU3W8Og3BLX3452_21EQI_VdPn7HMHSthtFJ10Htxp53rQCNH_yUNkVTXOhT99LRg2MdjoYOerBiSXmPIpI7TQUgSyXACeDC21e8i40zXX8YBNF1JpwbcU3UZVmwQBfqDCSHU_Fh4XqPQRHQ/s320/Duck%20with%20Fennel%20and%20Rhubarb%20Sauce.jpg" title="Duck with Rhubarb & Fennel Sauce" width="485" /></a></div><p>Duck breasts, 1 per portion (there's enough sauce for 4)</p><div><div>For the sauce:</div><div><span> </span>1 shallot, finely chopped</div><div><span> </span>1 garlic clove, crushed</div><div><span> </span>1 fennel bulb, any tough bits removed and chopped into small chunks</div><div><span> </span>3 large or 4 smaller sticks of rhubarb, cleaned and cut into small chunks</div><div><span> </span>2 - 3 tsp grenadine (or an alternative sweetener, see above)</div><div><span> </span>125ml chicken or veg stock (or water will do, if you're rushed)</div><div><br /></div><div>To make the sauce, soften the shallot in a little oil over a moderate heat for 3 minutes or so. Add the garlic and chopped fennel and continue frying for another 3 minutes. Add the rhubarb and continue frying for yet another another 3 minutes. Season with salt and pepper.</div><div><br /></div><div>Pour in the stock and the grenadine (use less grenadine for sweeter, forced rhubarb). Cover the pan loosely and simmer for 10 - 15 minutes until everything is softened.</div><div><br /></div><div>Take the pan off the heat and blitz the contents to a smooth consistency (a stick blender is easiest). Adjust the seasoning and add more sweetener if it needs it. Keep the sauce warm while you cook the duck, or chill until needed and reheat before serving.</div><div><br /></div><div>To cook the duck, preheat oven to 200°C. Score the duck breasts several times on the skin side and season with salt and pepper on both sides. Preheat a dry, ovenproof frying pan over a moderate heat. Add the duck breasts skin side down, keeping the heat quite high, and cook for 5 minutes without moving them. Pour off any excess fat, turn the breasts and fry for 1 minute. Turn back onto the skin side and place in the oven for around 5 minutes. The time in the oven will vary according to the thickness of the breast and just how rare you like duck, but 8 minutes is usually a maximum for even the thickest breasts. Remove the breasts and let them rest, skin side up, for 10 minutes or so before slicing and serving with the sauce. </div></div><div><br /></div><div>This dish has plenty of flavour, so I'd recommend keeping the accompaniments simple - some green beans and potatoes would do quite nicely.</div><div><br /></div>Phil in the Kitchenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15904292856978631382noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2578151607368747182.post-30543272543556085782024-01-10T23:21:00.004+00:002024-01-10T23:21:54.016+00:00Basil Chicken with Chorizo Sauce<div><div>I've been lobbing recipes into this blog for over 14 years now and, since I must be running out of things to say and original things to cook, I thought that 2024 should be the opportunity to gather up the few recipes that I've been meaning to get round to (or haven't got quite right yet) before I finally shut up once and for all. So, first off, here's a recipe that I've had hanging round for many years but never posted. That might be because it's a bit odd or it might be just because I've never managed to get a good photo of it. Oh well, here goes anyway. </div></div><div><br /></div>The sauce was (indirectly) inspired by a dish from <a href="https://www.restaurant-lesrosiers.fr/" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Les Rosiers restaurant</a> in Biarritz, although their food is a lot more sophisticated than anything you'll find here. Sadly, I've never been near the place, but, many years ago, I saw it featured in an episode of the now defunct TV show 'Les Escapades de Petitrenaud'. Over the years since I first made this dish, I've come to the conclusion that a good sobrasada <i>can</i> be even nicer than chorizo in this sauce, but use whichever you can lay your hands on.<div><br />
The sauce is very powerful so a small amount will go a long way. I tend to think of it as a sort of meaty ketchup. In contrast, the chicken has a more subtle flavour and can be eaten hot or cold. This will give you enough chicken for 2 or 3 people but you'll probably have some sauce left over to give other dishes a flavour boost. <a href="http://lh6.ggpht.com/-62xuaOCGvig/TfywjIR1-KI/AAAAAAAAAYQ/F-66f-gVLIE/s1600-h/Chicken%252520with%252520Chorizo%252520Sauce%2525201.jpg"><img alt="Basil Chicken with Chorizo Sauce" border="0" height="419" src="https://lh3.ggpht.com/-WYUgZjOfFrE/Tfywj-bz12I/AAAAAAAAAYU/dCJMEJNRXt0/Chicken%252520with%252520Chorizo%252520Sauce%2525201_thumb.jpg?imgmax=800" style="background-image: none; border: 0px; display: block; float: none; margin: 10px auto 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;" title="Basil Chicken with Chorizo Sauce" width="485" /></a><br />
For the Basil Chicken:<br />
6 chicken thighs, bone in and skin on<br />
For the dressing:<br />
3 tbsp extra virgin olive oil<br />
1 tbsp balsamic vinegar<br />
1 tbsp runny honey<br />
A generous handful of basil leaves<br />
<br />
Whiz all the dressing ingredients together in a blender or processor until smooth and thoroughly combined. Season with salt and pepper. Preheat the oven to 180°C (fan). Coat the chicken thighs evenly with the dressing. Place the thighs in a deep oven tray (on foil if you want to save on washing up – honey tends to stick very tenaciously). Cover the tray with a sheet of foil and place in the oven for 40-45 minutes. Remove the foil lid and place the tray back in the oven for 10-15 minutes, until browned and very tender. <br />
<br />
For the chorizo sauce:<br />
130 g chorizo (or sobrasada) (the spicier the better for me, but you may not agree)<br />
350 g tomatoes (you could use tinned, but don't use <i>too</i> much juice)<br />
1 garlic clove<br />
1 small or ½ large onion<br />
1 tbsp extra-virgin olive oil, plus a small splash for the pan<br />
<br />
Peel the chorizo and cut into small cubes (if you're using sobrasada, then you won't need to cut it up and add it to the sauce later at the same time as the tomatoes). Cut the tomatoes into small cubes. Peel the onion and garlic and chop very finely.<br />
<br />
Put a splash of oil in a pan and add the chorizo and onion. Fry gently until the onion begins to soften. Add the garlic and continue frying gently for a minute or so. Add the tomatoes and cook very gently for 20 minutes. Don't let the mixture dry out – add a little water if it seems to be heading that way. <br />
<br />
Stir in the extra-virgin olive oil and whiz the mixture thoroughly in a processor or blender. Pass the sauce through a fine sieve. You should end up with an intensely flavoured, meaty, spicy and reasonably thick sauce. <br />
<br />
Serve the chicken either with a dollop or a small, dipping dish of the warmed chorizo sauce. Roast or sautéed potatoes and a green salad should go down well alongside.</div>Phil in the Kitchenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15904292856978631382noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2578151607368747182.post-77631166031797113452023-11-24T17:28:00.001+00:002023-11-24T17:28:13.577+00:00Normandy Cider Sauce<p>I've featured recipes from Normandy a number of times in this blog over the years, but I make no excuses for including another. Some of my previous recipes have probably been on the lighter side of Normandy cooking. This one isn't. This sauce doesn't use any stock or onions, it's just classic, Normandy ingredients, including rather a lot of crème fraîche. </p><p>It's really important to use a sweet or medium-sweet cider for this recipe. Dry ciders may be nice to drink but they're bit too austere and somehow less flavourful in this sauce. In the same way, choose an apple that has a good flavour but is sweet rather than sharp. </p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgH9lphtMzHpQ1VM4-oosmIN2ZugGdBEs_edHnkJIfGVMhUUjEf9GjNgxPRz7QwZnsV_4Ly-9ya1thfT-Ie445YGHdY9yppwp7l4SNpzzA5qD1js49EXZztFQfsfIH8289Apx_ZO432C0PrC6Rds2InQZf6_4zEEnn7UmrPAUDceSXZ9H53njFlHAakN64v/s1500/Cider%20Sauce%203.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="Normandy Cider Sauce" border="0" data-original-height="1364" data-original-width="1500" height="441" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgH9lphtMzHpQ1VM4-oosmIN2ZugGdBEs_edHnkJIfGVMhUUjEf9GjNgxPRz7QwZnsV_4Ly-9ya1thfT-Ie445YGHdY9yppwp7l4SNpzzA5qD1js49EXZztFQfsfIH8289Apx_ZO432C0PrC6Rds2InQZf6_4zEEnn7UmrPAUDceSXZ9H53njFlHAakN64v/w320-h291/Cider%20Sauce%203.jpg" title="Normandy Cider Sauce" width="485" /></a></div><p>On this occasion, I've served this sauce with simply fried pork medallions, but it will also work with duck, guinea fowl or some well-flavoured chicken. If it suits what you're cooking, then you might fancy adding a little Dijon mustard before you liquidise the sauce. </p><p>This should be plenty for 2 people, even in Normandy. </p><p><br /></p><div style="text-align: left;">500ml sweet or medium-sweet cider<br />200ml crème fraîche, full-fat<br />1 small apple (a sweeter variety), peeled, cored and chopped into small chunks<br />A dash of Calvados</div><p><br /></p><p>Reduce the cider over a high heat in a non-reactive pan. You want to end up with around 4 tablespoons of liquid, so this will take a while. The cider will have darkened and started to look a little syrupy, but stop before it gets to be <i>very</i> thick and <i>very</i> dark brown or the sauce will become too bitter.</p><p>Add the apple chunks and Calvados and whisk in the crème fraîche. Season with salt and pepper. Bring to a simmer and continue cooking until the sauce has thickened and the apple has started to soften.</p><p>Pour the sauce into a blender, or use a hand blender, and whiz the sauce until smooth. Taste and adjust the seasoning. Reheat to serve.</p>Phil in the Kitchenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15904292856978631382noreply@blogger.com7tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2578151607368747182.post-54016058716578175022023-10-25T11:21:00.000+01:002023-10-25T11:21:54.837+01:00Leek, Fennel and Coconut Soup with Pistachio Pesto<p>The recipe for this autumnal soup is based on something that I ate in a restaurant around 20 years ago, but it reminded me of a time long ago and of the music of Leonard Cohen.</p><p>Early in the 1970s, there lived in South London a man who saw it as his mission in life to cook food for the waifs, strays, bad poets, questionable musicians and general hangers-on of the area. I'll call him Henry because, after all this time, I have to slightly misquote Dylan and admit that the only thing I can remember for sure about Henry is that his name wasn't Henry. The meals he made were often soups and always vegetarian. I'm fairly sure that they were made from the dodgy-looking veg they couldn't sell to normal people in Balham market. The meals were invariably accompanied by the sound of one of the first two Leonard Cohen albums. I assume he had some other records, but I don't remember him ever playing them.</p><p>Although I've eaten a vast number of vegetarian dishes since then, including more than a few cooked by Michelin-starred chefs, I hope that I'm not being overly sentimental and nostalgic when I say that none of them have tasted quite as unbelievably awful as Henry's . This soup <b>isn't</b> one of those long-lost meals, I'm pleased to say. I'll never know what became of Henry but I'll always be grateful to him and hope that the long time sun still shines upon him and all love surrounds him.</p><p><br /></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj5KCRxGb0ZY-0Q1cyGWxXYV4QSmRdS0PTXXcNNYf7dKO2CJhyphenhyphen8Nh1BPJ35YmLGGBXrD3yU5LinegREY_Ubtnh3cEZgdVUs5NyKXZ3m2a2kuQcg33ywhRTJUhYEz-hgKpRXSdb5VA6rV9RBSWCDDrj8rOAMxWpuFwXdXsbvXl7z1C4y8w9IJF_UTfg0Sno1/s1500/Leek%20Fennel%20and%20Coconut%20Soup%202.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="Leek, Fennel and Coconut Soup" border="0" data-original-height="1096" data-original-width="1500" height="354" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj5KCRxGb0ZY-0Q1cyGWxXYV4QSmRdS0PTXXcNNYf7dKO2CJhyphenhyphen8Nh1BPJ35YmLGGBXrD3yU5LinegREY_Ubtnh3cEZgdVUs5NyKXZ3m2a2kuQcg33ywhRTJUhYEz-hgKpRXSdb5VA6rV9RBSWCDDrj8rOAMxWpuFwXdXsbvXl7z1C4y8w9IJF_UTfg0Sno1/w400-h293/Leek%20Fennel%20and%20Coconut%20Soup%202.jpg" title="Leek, Fennel and Coconut Soup" width="485" /></a></div><p>This should serve 4, but I suppose you could stretch it to an extra, thinner bowl if an unconvincing writer, dubious painter or unspecified waif passes by.</p><p style="text-align: center;"><b><span style="font-size: x-large;">-</span></b></p><div style="text-align: left;">2 leeks, white part only, sliced<br />2 cloves garlic, crushed<br />2 carrots, peeled and roughly sliced (if the carrot is very large, one will be enough)<br />1 parsnip, peeled and roughly sliced, discarding any woody bits<br />1 potato (medium-sized), peeled and roughly chopped <br />1 fennel bulb, any tough outer or base pieces removed and roughly chopped<br />200 ml vegetable stock<br />2 sprigs of thyme (or ½ tsp dried thyme)</div><div style="text-align: left;">400ml tin of coconut milk, lower fat will do as long as the flavour is still good</div><div style="text-align: left;"><br />For the pesto: <br /><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;">Small handful shelled pistachios<br />Small handful of mixed basil and mint leaves<br />Small (or very small) piece of garlic<br />A glug or three of extra virgin olive oil</div><p style="text-align: left;"><br /></p><p>Add a little olive oil to a large pan (one that has a lid) and place on a low heat. Add the leek slices to the pan, ideally in one layer. Allow the leeks to start to soften slowly for 5 minutes or so, then stir in the garlic. Cover the pan, keeping the heat low and continue cooking the leeks and garlic for another 5 minutes. Don't let the leeks burn, but don't worry about a little colour on them.</p><p>Add the prepared carrot, parsnip, potato and fennel to the pan, season with a little salt and a fairly generous grinding of black pepper. Continue frying gently without the lid for another 5 minutes. </p><p>Pour in the stock and stir in the leaves from the thyme sprigs (or the dried thyme). Bring to a simmer, cover the pan and let the mixture cook gently for around half an hour. Check every now and then to make sure that the mixture isn't drying out or sticking to the pan. </p><p>At the end of this time, the vegetables should be thoroughly soft and the mixture should resemble a chunky, vegetable mush - but in a good way. Take the pan off the heat and liquidise the contents until smooth. A hand blender will probably be the easiest option.</p><p>If you want a truly smooth and restaurant-style finish for the soup, then pass the mixture through a fine sieve at this stage. This isn't really necessary, though, as long as it's as smooth as you'd like it to be. Stir in the coconut milk without returning the mixture to the heat. The soup may be a little too thick at this stage and, if so, add enough water to get the thickness you want.</p><p>If you're only making a small amount of the pesto for this soup, then a pestle and mortar will be easiest but a small blender will be quicker if you're making enough to keep for later. Either way, bash up the pistachios, the mint and basil leaves and the small amount of garlic. Add enough olive oil to loosen the mixture until you like the look of it. I don't think the cheese that's part of classic pesto is needed when used with this soup, but you might disagree. </p><p>Reheat the soup when ready to serve. Be gentle when reheating because some coconut milks can get upset and decide to split if they're heated too aggressively or boiled. Add a dollop of the pesto to each bowl just before serving. I also add a few drops of sour cherry molasses which I think adds a little lift to this kind of soup. (In fact, I think it adds a certain something to many root veg dishes).</p><p><br /></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj3LUaj0GRfv32fMRkmwJ6JtTHP-S3jKC-3GVtbZqF04ZtJ5_wlh_AOrllSNag45ZwvihpozkTyFFtAPvuvYISIm0-Y7hom3vmZkmYGVzYxOkyP2u4TIqDuDWKkhY5W-GM_kju_AIA8qry4cZfHrLdLzS_6iSBIiBBQIpDfq7fewvHINnqf_FPR9_w_TD-y/s514/The%20Leonard%20Cohen%20Lunch%201971.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="South London Soup in the 1970s" border="0" data-original-height="487" data-original-width="514" height="379" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj3LUaj0GRfv32fMRkmwJ6JtTHP-S3jKC-3GVtbZqF04ZtJ5_wlh_AOrllSNag45ZwvihpozkTyFFtAPvuvYISIm0-Y7hom3vmZkmYGVzYxOkyP2u4TIqDuDWKkhY5W-GM_kju_AIA8qry4cZfHrLdLzS_6iSBIiBBQIpDfq7fewvHINnqf_FPR9_w_TD-y/w400-h379/The%20Leonard%20Cohen%20Lunch%201971.jpg" title="South London Soup in the 1970s" width="400" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">We used to dream of tea and oranges that came all the way from China, but they didn't arrive.</div>Phil in the Kitchenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15904292856978631382noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2578151607368747182.post-41140533362767435172023-09-24T23:11:00.000+01:002023-09-24T23:11:03.397+01:00Pulled Lamb Neck Fillet<p>This recipe produces a rich sauce with some very tender, intensely-flavoured, shredded lamb. It takes a while to cook, but doesn't demand much effort. </p><p>The crucial aspect of the sauce is the sweet and sour balance that comes mostly from the combination of Marsala and vinegar. My ideal combination of vinegars in this dish is balsamic (unless you're rich, a cheap version will do in this case), sherry vinegar and a soft style of white wine vinegar, such as one made from Riesling wine. But I'm being annoyingly fussy, so just use what you have that's interesting but not excessively acidic. As for the Marsala, I use a dry style but they can vary quite a bit in just how dry they turn out to be. So, in short, be prepared to taste and adjust the flavours to your liking if they don't seem perfectly balanced.</p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgfwIxsZyK1WFqobcsYz_hl60gGanYvzNHoYxVkiMfq7qGkKaQk_9zUjMagalQMvkyFVjRE0a2Jy2DDWCE5f_85_wknMLT0LHjqSzo7JsUj_8NdXtKj23z-AqQZ6trPeDVTZxNoagUINtzTjV7wrG8_w6TwAykBUDjO2nx10MNVkxKdV6-pxphZyvgC3yDN/s1500/Pulled%20Lamb%20Sauce%203.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="Pulled Lamb Neck Fillet with Pasta" border="0" data-original-height="1093" data-original-width="1500" height="353" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgfwIxsZyK1WFqobcsYz_hl60gGanYvzNHoYxVkiMfq7qGkKaQk_9zUjMagalQMvkyFVjRE0a2Jy2DDWCE5f_85_wknMLT0LHjqSzo7JsUj_8NdXtKj23z-AqQZ6trPeDVTZxNoagUINtzTjV7wrG8_w6TwAykBUDjO2nx10MNVkxKdV6-pxphZyvgC3yDN/w320-h233/Pulled%20Lamb%20Sauce%203.jpg" title="Pulled Lamb Neck Fillet with Pasta" width="485" /></a></div><p>Although this doesn't produce a large amount of sauce, it's intense enough to serve 2 or even 3 people. Of course, you don't have to serve it with pasta, that's just the way I like it. It could be used to top and supercharge lamb burgers, for instance.</p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgjuvRxCZAyfQ7sKfjYa9S_GJUVEYTJCYnSFD8yCR38WAQ4p0FQI10Y257UznMgVrH8vhEm_tOL4MIy0fQwrCvy5WPjXlo_w478ejzV-d-ORy5reAx7xoaHVLXPl25YRFkJVT7BplOPOGnC-QoK2eN1t4lYrsS55wN4mSw9z5EzKX7j47yTeCKzF4X5uZ8V/s1500/Pulled%20Lamb%20Sauce%201.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="Pulled Lamb Neck Fillet" border="0" data-original-height="1163" data-original-width="1500" height="376" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgjuvRxCZAyfQ7sKfjYa9S_GJUVEYTJCYnSFD8yCR38WAQ4p0FQI10Y257UznMgVrH8vhEm_tOL4MIy0fQwrCvy5WPjXlo_w478ejzV-d-ORy5reAx7xoaHVLXPl25YRFkJVT7BplOPOGnC-QoK2eN1t4lYrsS55wN4mSw9z5EzKX7j47yTeCKzF4X5uZ8V/w320-h248/Pulled%20Lamb%20Sauce%201.jpg" title="Pulled Lamb Neck Fillet" width="485" /></a></div><p><br /></p>1 lamb neck fillet (around 250g - 300g)<div>1 large onion, finely chopped<div style="text-align: left;">2 garlic cloves, crushed</div><div style="text-align: left;">50 ml balsamic vinegar </div><div style="text-align: left;">30 ml sherry vinegar</div><div style="text-align: left;">30 ml lower acidity white wine vinegar</div><div style="text-align: left;">150 ml Marsala, a dry style</div><div style="text-align: left;">2 sprigs rosemary, leaves only</div><div style="text-align: left;">4 sprigs thyme, leaves only</div><div style="text-align: left;">1 tbsp tomato purée</div><div style="text-align: left;">1 tsp anchovy paste (or two anchovy fillets in oil, drained)</div><div style="text-align: left;">1200 ml chicken or light lamb stock</div><div><div style="text-align: left;">Some leaves of parsley and mint, finely chopped, to serve</div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div>Tidy up the lamb neck fillet by removing any stray sinew or large chunks of fat on the outside. Add a little oil to a small sauté pan or saucepan and brown the lamb on all sides. Set the lamb aside.</div><div><br /></div><div>Add the onion to the pan, with a little more oil if needed, and fry until the onion starts to soften. Add the crushed garlic and continue frying for a minute or so longer. Deglaze the pan with the vinegars, bring to the boil and let the vinegars reduce by around a half. Add the Marsala and, again, let it reduce by around a half. Add the thyme, rosemary, anchovy paste (or anchovy fillets) and the tomato purée. Season with pepper, but don't add salt at this point since the anchovy paste will be adding a fair bit of that.</div><div><br /></div><div>Pour in the stock and bring the mixture up to simmering point. Return the lamb to the pan, cover lightly so that a little steam can escape and let it simmer away gently for 2½ - 3 hours. The pan shouldn't need too much attention during this period, but, every now and then, turn the lamb over to ensure that it cooks evenly and skim off any scruffy stuff that appears on top of the liquid. If the pan looks to be in danger of drying out, then add a little water.</div><div><br /></div><div>At the end of its cooking time, the lamb should be very tender and, ideally, the sauce should be significantly reduced but not solid or syrupy. Remove the lamb and shred the meat with a couple of forks. Wizz up the sauce with a hand blender until smooth and, if necessary, reduce it until it thickens or until it's as thick as you'd like it. Check the seasoning and the acidity of the sauce. You may find that a few additional drops of vinegar will be called for.</div><div><br /></div><div>Stir the shredded lamb into the sauce and serve in your chosen manner, sprinkling with the chopped leaves of mint and parsley.</div></div><div><br /></div></div>Phil in the Kitchenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15904292856978631382noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2578151607368747182.post-77465472320087411862023-08-19T22:23:00.000+01:002023-08-19T22:23:05.055+01:00Chilled Mango Soup<p>I'm not usually a big fan of chilled soup but this is an intriguing little appetiser that's a little bit different. The inspiration for this soup came from an Indian restaurant back in the 1980s, but I've changed it a fair bit since the days when Frankie went to Hollywood with a Filofax under his arm. Since then we've had an ocean of smoothies coming and going in popularity, so you could think of this as a slightly odd, savoury smoothie served in a soup bowl, if you prefer.</p><p>Mangoes can vary a lot in size and sweetness, so taste and adjust the flavour of the soup as you see fit. Although this is a very simple little recipe, it can be made even simpler if you replace the coconut milk and yoghurt with a supermarket coconut yoghurt and the fresh mango with a tin of mango pulp. I don't think this even simpler version tastes quite as good but, if you're pushed for time, it can still be pretty satisfying. You may well find that canned mango is a bit too sweet, so add a little lemon juice, if it needs it. </p><p>This will feed at least 2 but, if you serve it as an elegant little starter, it will certainly be enough for 4. You don't need much to enjoy the punchy flavour.</p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgwlWSvG7yYqH4IqzfGsMllkh5TdPmMb7xGxRw8NA9ery85iTkET2O8k7VsSJ7oniaC7GMGEzFD3cSScrp9gIbhXAoPh-8pkIpa6d1wwEy90O-lPM-IrnWP8l5CV8PbdfUEVMjftzlQGjGe_n_Vnbu6qTaIAbp37mK8SSer6pN07pv2yI6_Dsu9AoFqow/s1500/Mango%20Soup%203.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1199" data-original-width="1500" height="388" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgwlWSvG7yYqH4IqzfGsMllkh5TdPmMb7xGxRw8NA9ery85iTkET2O8k7VsSJ7oniaC7GMGEzFD3cSScrp9gIbhXAoPh-8pkIpa6d1wwEy90O-lPM-IrnWP8l5CV8PbdfUEVMjftzlQGjGe_n_Vnbu6qTaIAbp37mK8SSer6pN07pv2yI6_Dsu9AoFqow/s320/Mango%20Soup%203.jpg" width="485" /></a></div><div style="text-align: left;">1 ripe mango, preferably fairly large<br />1 orange or yellow pepper <br />1 tbsp sliced pickled chillies (less if don't want the heat) - yellow chillies would be ideal <br />10 basil leaves<br />4 tbsp coconut milk<br />4 tbsp plain yoghurt (fat-free would be OK, if you prefer it that way)<br />A generous pinch (or two) ground cumin<br />A little sugar (optional)</div><p>To serve:</p><div style="text-align: left;">A little extra yoghurt<br />A sprinkling of crisp, fried onions or shallots (optional)<br />A dribble of sour cherry molasses (optional)</div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><p>Remove the skin of the pepper in the time-honoured way by grilling or roasting it first and letting it cool in a sealed bag or covered bowl. Peel the mango and cut the flesh into rough chunks.</p><p>Add the peeled pepper, mango, chillies, basil, coconut milk, yoghurt and cumin to a blender and season with a little salt. Wizz until the mixture is very smooth. Taste and adjust the flavours to your liking. The soup is intended to have a slightly sour character but, if the mango isn't sweet enough to balance the flavours, then add a little sugar and wizz again. </p><p>Keep the soup in the fridge until needed. To serve, add a dollop or swirl of extra yoghurt and, optionally, scatter on a few crisp, fried onions. A little sour cherry molasses also adds an extra flavour boost, if you happen to have any to hand.</p>Phil in the Kitchenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15904292856978631382noreply@blogger.com6tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2578151607368747182.post-27728524792568667022023-07-22T17:10:00.000+01:002023-07-22T17:10:47.618+01:00Courgette, Olive and Basil Sauce & Air Fryer Semi-Dried Courgettes<p>It's that happy time of year again when courgettes are growing in the garden and appearing in the shops faster than a politician thinking up excuses. Here are two simple recipes to make use of the bounty that are just a little bit different. (<a href="https://asstrongassoup.blogspot.com/2017/08/slow-cooked-courgettes-dip-mash.html" target="_blank">Slow-cooked courgettes</a> are also well worth trying, if you haven't already).</p><p><br /></p><h2 style="text-align: center;">Courgette, Olive and Basil Sauce</h2><p>If you take a look at the ingredients, I'm sure it won't come as a surprise when I say that this is a Southern French sauce, or, at least, my interpretation of one. It's a way of producing a creamy sauce with no cream (or anything like it) and plenty of flavour. Admittedly, the colour of the sauce isn't quite as exciting as the taste, but it will seriously liven up simply-cooked chicken, roasted veg (squash, for instance) or, as I fancied eating this time, flash-fried prawns. If you want to vary the amount of basil or olives, or add a little chilli, then I'm confident that the sauce will still come up smiling.</p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEisoHA_IlI47t9xUN4UvF_9gzfBn1TdaLv-Lu9RoZ9ojpJ8t-m75zLrohKCaXfRUUGQIVfrSYd3bh3rO6-SZlitjZxGrnj04tJYqRWbn-UuGHg87nYIFf740E2pmw19J6HIgRWLW1mQwd6Rpvk0Wynxd0YN9ERzi61arlS634dEJK9JwkDw4fiU2L-iqfyS/s1530/Prawns%20in%20Courgette%20Sauce%201.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="Prawns in Courgette, Olive and Basil Sauce" border="0" data-original-height="1258" data-original-width="1530" height="438" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEisoHA_IlI47t9xUN4UvF_9gzfBn1TdaLv-Lu9RoZ9ojpJ8t-m75zLrohKCaXfRUUGQIVfrSYd3bh3rO6-SZlitjZxGrnj04tJYqRWbn-UuGHg87nYIFf740E2pmw19J6HIgRWLW1mQwd6Rpvk0Wynxd0YN9ERzi61arlS634dEJK9JwkDw4fiU2L-iqfyS/w320-h263/Prawns%20in%20Courgette%20Sauce%201.jpg" title="Prawns in Courgette, Olive and Basil Sauce" width="485" /></a></div><br /><p>This should serve 2 people (probably, quite generously).</p>1 large or 2 smallish courgettes<div>2 tbsp olive oil</div><div>1 garlic clove, crushed</div><div>½ tsp anchovy paste (or 1 anchovy fillet)</div><div>20 (or thereabouts) leaves of basil</div><div>8 (or thereabouts) pitted black olives</div><div>1 tbsp balsamic vinegar</div><div>1 tbsp tomato purée<p>Slice the courgette thinly and fry very gently in the olive oil for 5 minutes, then stir in the garlic. Continue the gentle frying for another 5 minutes or so until the courgette is soft but not coloured. (But don’t worry too much if it does take on a little colour - it’s not absolutely critical).</p><p>Put the contents of the pan into a blender with all the other ingredients. Season with pepper (you shouldn’t need any extra salt). Add 1 tablespoon of water and whiz. Ideally, the sauce should be close to the thickness of double cream but this will depend on the amount of water in the courgette, so add more if it needs it.</p><p>Reheat the sauce to serve in your chosen way.</p><p><br /></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgBeKIAIJ9_YkV-NU6BbYLZC6jXF9oGsRohqcN7h6gwQUJDuaATlJzNUPvD6J0ZwAQgRUHf11lI67ds199aiPE98F-spACn6Bx_uKvLeQIhoc8gtCqXEyuqf8Z7WTp5yzJlc-z_1oeJMXj9BCokMIlMxI9L3KAZJbEz6gQFMUGZRAZqc9pKqVlyjzCZResM/s800/Italian%20Courgettes%202.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="Courgettes" border="0" data-original-height="497" data-original-width="800" height="117" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgBeKIAIJ9_YkV-NU6BbYLZC6jXF9oGsRohqcN7h6gwQUJDuaATlJzNUPvD6J0ZwAQgRUHf11lI67ds199aiPE98F-spACn6Bx_uKvLeQIhoc8gtCqXEyuqf8Z7WTp5yzJlc-z_1oeJMXj9BCokMIlMxI9L3KAZJbEz6gQFMUGZRAZqc9pKqVlyjzCZResM/w190-h117/Italian%20Courgettes%202.jpg" title="Courgettes" width="190" /></a></div><h2 style="text-align: center;"><br />Air Fryer Semi-Dried Courgettes</h2><p>Partially drying slices of courgette is an old Spanish trick that gives them a very different texture and concentrates the flavour. In Spain, they'll often just leave the slices in the sun to dry (or so I'm told), but that doesn't usually work in the UK. However, if you believe the stories in the press, it appears that everybody and their dog has an air fryer these days. The good news is that the courgette slices dry very well in these devices. You can, of course, dry them in a conventional oven, but it will take longer.</p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgvlfgtQbDzwcdNB5CSqlrqkRL0Y9bb1C_yMFyjUFNEFEeeShYi2hgRH-uYSYzMUgZmY-IvHarINTr10b8yhdQ6yfzgU784NCu71u7gmbzt0FFsFRVG0FI_wV-Wp4oGhSOq1sWC7JvNF9OzuGgo9p8C_l8AHYoMnSJSK672mfZ5rBM3fkEbZrwCb1u1V_74/s1500/Semi-Dried%20Courgettes%201.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="Courgette Appetiser" border="0" data-original-height="1354" data-original-width="1500" height="438" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgvlfgtQbDzwcdNB5CSqlrqkRL0Y9bb1C_yMFyjUFNEFEeeShYi2hgRH-uYSYzMUgZmY-IvHarINTr10b8yhdQ6yfzgU784NCu71u7gmbzt0FFsFRVG0FI_wV-Wp4oGhSOq1sWC7JvNF9OzuGgo9p8C_l8AHYoMnSJSK672mfZ5rBM3fkEbZrwCb1u1V_74/w328-h296/Semi-Dried%20Courgettes%201.jpg" title="Courgette Appetiser" width="485" /></a></div><br /><p>Cut the courgettes into thin slices lengthways. (Not too thin, since you want to retain a little moisture.) Put into the air fryer at 110°C, without overcrowding it. They shouldn't take too long, but the time will vary a lot according to the thickness of the slices and the amount of water in the courgettes at the start. Slices of freshly-picked courgettes were dried enough for me after about 15 minutes. Don't worry about some of the slices taking on a bit of colour, but don't let them brown and crisp up too much. </p><p>Once semi-dried, fry the slices in a little olive oil until they're golden (or maybe a little brown) all over. This won't take long so watch them carefully. </p><p>The slices can be served with pasta, showered on top of a risotto to add texture or, my favourite, simply served as an appetiser, sprinkled with salt and chopped mint and with a few drops of good, balsamic vinegar.</p></div>Phil in the Kitchenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15904292856978631382noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2578151607368747182.post-43465612026107695462023-06-24T23:24:00.000+01:002023-06-24T23:24:23.357+01:00Duck Breasts with Blood Orange Sauce<p>Duck with orange sauce is a great classic and can be truly delicious. But it became a bit of a joke when less-than-great restaurants began to turn out overcooked, dry duck in something resembling marmalade with a dollop of Grand Marnier in it. I haven't come across many restaurants in recent years that still serve this dish. (Although I do know of one establishment that seems unchanged since the 1970s and not only serves the classic duck à l’orange but also has a sweet trolley). This recipe is <i>not</i> the classic sauce, but it's a relatively simple dish that doesn't need the whole duck or too much time to prepare and it shows why the duck and orange sauce was a really good idea in the first place. </p><p>This recipe has the great advantage that the sauce is largely made in advance, although it's best to add the finishing touches immediately before serving.</p><p>Blood oranges aren't essential but, if they're in season, they do have a lovely flavour without being too sweet and the colour is excellent. You could use any wine vinegar in the sauce, but sherry vinegar adds more flavour than simple wine vinegar or, better still (I'm being fussy here), a mix of half sherry vinegar and half wine vinegar made from a sweeter, softer wine. I used half sherry vinegar and half Riesling wine vinegar this time.</p><p>The addition of a little Malibu liqueur to the sauce seems odd but, I think, works beautifully. I've borrowed the idea from a French chef whom I saw finishing sauces in a similar way some years ago. Sadly, I can't remember his name.</p><div style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiT9vdqXx5vawLYrxtPttL10MY_a9mMtQWWPyUswZbWrZ8G-Jp4XMbT0FVcVjc-hJwCtk70f_v-z_u516L-PqYryHeTcJdtIeR-vdGx9PckTjMZKGN5XBVgqfbVF3ul0BibLvJPbuO3x_yX3Bd8SkKDHvwmGOqFjxFKkoD8kfwsz0vCWEpMG1oOhy6bYw/s1500/Duck%20with%20Blood%20Orange%20Sauce%201.jpg"><img alt="Duck Breast with Blood Orange Sauce" border="0" data-original-height="1107" data-original-width="1500" height="358" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiT9vdqXx5vawLYrxtPttL10MY_a9mMtQWWPyUswZbWrZ8G-Jp4XMbT0FVcVjc-hJwCtk70f_v-z_u516L-PqYryHeTcJdtIeR-vdGx9PckTjMZKGN5XBVgqfbVF3ul0BibLvJPbuO3x_yX3Bd8SkKDHvwmGOqFjxFKkoD8kfwsz0vCWEpMG1oOhy6bYw/w320-h236/Duck%20with%20Blood%20Orange%20Sauce%201.jpg" title="Duck Breast with Blood Orange Sauce" width="485" /></a></div><p>This will serve 2.</p><p><br /></p><div><div>80 g caster sugar</div><div>80 ml sherry vinegar (or a combination of sherry vinegar and a sweeter-style wine vinegar)</div><div>2 blood oranges, juice only (if they’re particularly small then use 3)</div><div>100 ml chicken stock</div><div>A dash or two Malibu (or other coconut rum liqueur)</div><div>A squeeze or two of lemon</div><div>2 duck breasts, skin on</div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div>You can make the first stage of the sauce in advance. Add the sugar and vinegar to a small pan and reduce over a high heat, stirring to ensure that the sugar dissolves, until the mixture becomes syrupy. Add the orange juice and reduce by about a half. Add the chicken stock and continue to reduce for a minute or two until slightly thickened. Set aside.</div><div><br /></div><div>Preheat the oven to 200°C fan. Trim any excess skin or sinewy bits off the duck breasts. Score the skin with a very sharp knife and season them all over with salt and pepper. Place the duck breasts skin side down in a dry frying pan: this needs to be one that can be placed in the oven. Place the pan on quite a high heat and cook the breasts for 5 minutes until the skin is looking crisp. Pour off all but a little of the fat released by the duck and turn the breasts over. Cook on the flesh side for 1 minute until lightly coloured. Turn them back onto their skin side and place the pan into the oven. Let the duck breasts roast for 4 - 5 minutes (if the breasts are very thick then allow a minute or so longer). Remove the duck breasts from the pan and leave to rest for at least 5 minutes, skin side up.</div><div><br /></div><div>While the duck is resting, finish the sauce. Reheat the sauce and add a dash or two of Malibu and a squeeze or two of lemon. Because the sweetness of the oranges might vary a lot, be prepared to taste and adjust the sauce to your liking. Thicken the sauce with your favourite thickener if it seems a little too thin.</div><div><br /></div><div>Slice the duck before serving, add the sauce and maybe just some simple boiled or steamed new potatoes and green veg.</div></div><div><br /></div>Phil in the Kitchenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15904292856978631382noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2578151607368747182.post-15089338543972202272023-05-23T23:42:00.000+01:002023-05-23T23:42:21.713+01:00Les Zézettes de Sète<p>Zézettes are biscuits from Sète in the south of France that have a sweet, crisp exterior and a satisfying, softer interior. They work really well with coffee or tea and, I think, are also lovely alongside gooey desserts and ice creams. Even better, they're simple and quick to make.</p><p>Although based on a much older, Algerian biscuit, zézettes were actually created and named by Gaston Bentata somewhere around the time it was impossible to avoid disco. Strictly speaking, you should use the excellent, sweet wine local to Sète, Muscat de Frontignan, in this recipe, but other sweet wines will work just fine too. In fact, you could use any white wine you happen to have and still get a decent result. Just don't tell anybody in Sète that I said that.</p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi37HR2pqHrMdsIS3zAWHOhOSjHk2bQj-y5cyptZ26117wqUI8hoox6fmNEUToPxStyao9ZOk5ulO6WmsIEoBV8hFYcfTXC5wabP7WSWgNNZ8AyLL06SXOGSu4Am4NB7_dPQFEmg2lhT7vL1vRPJshRSx-ghVZAfHdiOqZWIoBAhVEySEubY8Gv6WBCbA/s1000/Zezettes%202.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="Les Zézettes de Sète" border="0" data-original-height="972" data-original-width="1000" height="471" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi37HR2pqHrMdsIS3zAWHOhOSjHk2bQj-y5cyptZ26117wqUI8hoox6fmNEUToPxStyao9ZOk5ulO6WmsIEoBV8hFYcfTXC5wabP7WSWgNNZ8AyLL06SXOGSu4Am4NB7_dPQFEmg2lhT7vL1vRPJshRSx-ghVZAfHdiOqZWIoBAhVEySEubY8Gv6WBCbA/w320-h311/Zezettes%202.jpg" title="Les Zézettes de Sète" width="485" /></a></div><p>I use a mixture of two sugars, but I'm probably being a bit fussy there, so use just one if it's easier. The combination of orange flower water and vanilla is crucial to the character of the biscuit (well, that's what I think), but vary the amounts according to your personal taste. I find using more than 2 teaspoons of orange flower water gives too dominant a flavour, but you may really love the stuff.</p><p><br /></p><div style="text-align: left;">225g plain flour<br />40g golden caster sugar, plus extra for coating<br />35g soft brown sugar<br />75 ml sweet wine (Muscat de Frontignan, ideally)<br />75 ml olive oil<br />1 - 2 tsp orange flower (blossom) water<br />1 tsp vanilla extract<br />1 tsp baking powder</div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><p>Preheat the oven to 180° fan.</p><p>Put the sugars, wine, orange flower water, oil and vanilla extract into a jug and mix thoroughly. Put the flour and baking powder into a bowl and stir them together. Add the liquid gradually to the flour, mixing well. Once all the liquid has been added, you should have a soft, moist ball of dough. </p><p>Tear off pieces of the dough (around 17g - 18g per piece, ideally) and roll them between your palms or on the worktop to form little croissant shapes that are thinner at each end than the centre. You should get around 25 biscuits.</p><p>Scatter a layer of golden caster sugar on your work surface and roll the biscuits gently in it to coat them. Place the sugared biscuits on an oven tray covered with baking paper or a silicone baking mat. Bake for 20 - 25 minutes until the zézettes are golden brown. </p><p>Cool the zézettes on a wire rack. Once cold, store them in an airtight container, where they should keep for around a week.</p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhxcGv7O9yYFbCtnq2ssCe0sPFZg6CLmF1TRWoHeTjj4eg4pwspXWT3kPA6IWkJIZ6Z1tXGUEVaQblgM1azNQG0vsPHbRQ2RiUiANdcbVIwK-qr0mQ1tiC50rD1VOuZJ56IjIjl3mwp6FHnCE1wWiu1U0GjT7fNxFu_sGMVYO5WdLO6tzPgqz7cbeSfYA/s1000/Zezettes%201.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="Les Zézettes de Sète" border="0" data-original-height="705" data-original-width="1000" height="342" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhxcGv7O9yYFbCtnq2ssCe0sPFZg6CLmF1TRWoHeTjj4eg4pwspXWT3kPA6IWkJIZ6Z1tXGUEVaQblgM1azNQG0vsPHbRQ2RiUiANdcbVIwK-qr0mQ1tiC50rD1VOuZJ56IjIjl3mwp6FHnCE1wWiu1U0GjT7fNxFu_sGMVYO5WdLO6tzPgqz7cbeSfYA/w320-h226/Zezettes%201.jpg" title="Les Zézettes de Sète" width="485" /></a></div>Phil in the Kitchenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15904292856978631382noreply@blogger.com7tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2578151607368747182.post-31770482479109556122023-04-23T21:39:00.000+01:002023-04-23T21:39:11.303+01:00Soda Bread with Walnut, Onion and Cheese<p>There are thousands of soda bread recipes on the net and this one isn't so very different, but I wanted to record my basic, perfect-for-soup (and other things) soda bread recipe. Forgive me if you've heard it all before. </p><p>Apart from the buttermilk, this recipe uses ingredients that I normally have to hand in my kitchen cupboards and fridge and so this is a bread that can be put together quickly with minimal effort. To that end, I use the packaged crispy onions that you can buy at pretty much any supermarket but don't let me stop you frying your own crispy onions, if you're so inclined. </p><p>Like other soda breads, this does not store well and should either be eaten quickly or frozen. Happily, it does freeze very well.</p><div><div><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhVHulBiE2BjNa-5c9Uq3a6l3E876BO6mnu9Y1FvtZfWX8lFH_MsRDAIhc7C4RS9L_wG8wN8F3D3OybZmv4aU8lWJPQqu6Hd9Yqi85QL8gUzgc6auP_SEdQ4ss3_vXreXcbvrX5UhfDWCawenN9qzZ9pzMHBZpAWPC7PJocewxghmIP-E2S8qhCpaO2qA/s1500/Soda%20Bread%201.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="Soda Bread with Walnut, Onion and Cheese" border="0" data-original-height="991" data-original-width="1500" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhVHulBiE2BjNa-5c9Uq3a6l3E876BO6mnu9Y1FvtZfWX8lFH_MsRDAIhc7C4RS9L_wG8wN8F3D3OybZmv4aU8lWJPQqu6Hd9Yqi85QL8gUzgc6auP_SEdQ4ss3_vXreXcbvrX5UhfDWCawenN9qzZ9pzMHBZpAWPC7PJocewxghmIP-E2S8qhCpaO2qA/w320-h211/Soda%20Bread%201.JPG" title="Soda Bread with Walnut, Onion and Cheese" width="485" /></a></div><br /><div>The amount of buttermilk specified here might seem strange but buttermilk is most commonly sold in ½ pint measures in the UK. Let's just say that the reason for this is historic.</div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div>160g self-raising flour</div><div>160g wholegrain flour </div><div>1 tsp bicarbonate of soda </div><div><div>40g chopped walnuts</div><div>15g crispy onions</div></div><div>30g hard cheese (Cheddar, Red Leicester or whatever), grated </div><div>284ml buttermilk</div><div>Salt and pepper</div><div>Optional: a sprinkling of rolled oats for the top of the bread</div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div>Preheat the oven to 180°C fan. Either use a truly non-stick oven tray or line a standard tray with non-stick baking parchment or silicone mat. </div><div><br /></div><div>In a large bowl, add the two flours, bicarbonate of soda, chopped walnuts, crispy onions, grated cheese and a little salt and pepper. Stir in the buttermilk until the mixture comes together. The dough will be quite sticky but all the flour should be combined. If there is a significant amount of flour mixture that refuses to mix into the dough, then add a small amount of buttermilk, yoghurt or just milk and mix together again. Don't overmix or make the mixture too wet, though.</div><div><br /></div><div>Form the dough into a ball and place on the prepared oven tray. If you're using oats to top the bread, then sprinkle them on at this stage. Gently push the top of the dough down until it's around 4cm thick. Use a very sharp knife or scalpel to cut a cross quite deeply into the top.</div><div><br /></div><div>Place in the preheated oven and bake the bread for 35 - 45 minutes until golden brown and hollow-sounding when tapped on the base. Carefully lift the bread onto a wire rack and wait until it's cool enough to eat or leave it until completely cold if it's destined for the freezer.</div></div><div><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiFYJC5NCJWS1brA5ASvrmjzHmU3N_s_fksZ20sDQObAjIlhNksK_3eDrooN3uSCEGwvbfFVoQbcYrZUkqmA4fQOZ22VxszACQnYlVdHwFG9A3LCup38D0X-qfzo2zETbLjJKDSwpQgUXIMf7UGv9Q6ziVkCTbpIlXKf8WIrZxip2VNlWKgK01eP0sEUQ/s1500/Soda%20Bread%204.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="Soda Bread with Walnut, Onion and Cheese" border="0" data-original-height="989" data-original-width="1500" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiFYJC5NCJWS1brA5ASvrmjzHmU3N_s_fksZ20sDQObAjIlhNksK_3eDrooN3uSCEGwvbfFVoQbcYrZUkqmA4fQOZ22VxszACQnYlVdHwFG9A3LCup38D0X-qfzo2zETbLjJKDSwpQgUXIMf7UGv9Q6ziVkCTbpIlXKf8WIrZxip2VNlWKgK01eP0sEUQ/w320-h211/Soda%20Bread%204.JPG" title="Soda Bread with Walnut, Onion and Cheese" width="485" /></a></div>Phil in the Kitchenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15904292856978631382noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2578151607368747182.post-10270849602187322332023-03-20T15:38:00.000+00:002023-03-20T15:38:47.259+00:00Slow Cooker Venison Shanks with Gochujang and Five Spice<p>Venison shanks are a flavourful, reasonably-priced (usually) cut of meat. They need lengthy cooking and are ideal for letting a slow cooker do all the hard work. This looks like quite a long recipe but it's actually a pretty straightforward and relaxed way to get beautifully tender meat which tastes a little different to the usual ways of flavouring venison. </p><p>I've owned a number of slow cookers over the years and I wish I could say that they all behave in exactly the same way. But I can't. So the cooking time here should be treated as a reasonable, but in no way foolproof, recommendation.</p><p>I've used a five spice paste to give extra depth and make things easy, but a little five spice powder could be added instead, if that's what you have. I think the gochujang works particularly well with the venison, but you could substitute a different chilli paste (maybe a smoky one) if you prefer.</p><p>This should be enough for 4 people and, since it delivers some punchy flavour, is probably best served with simply cooked rice or noodles, although I think some mashed potato would make a good alternative if you fancy it.</p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="Slow Cooker Venison Shanks" border="0" data-original-height="1479" data-original-width="1530" height="469" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEghCF4WOEbvkcDFDrCInJ44DXFR8OwYOvHtmnP72Pr5Vrcakf4vaNfd6pEE_cMSg1HjJoVU1xqsEE_qWggATTrHKEMWczlm7C2PvXjHUYOecMvg6FNYVonUJPPIm7uG23nn05VTWbLNayWTeZSQpVAXuNFmJtT_cSomLOY9pLiTumIIyrq09yS6ebvOgg/w400-h386/Venison%20Shanks%203.jpg" title="Slow Cooker Venison Shanks" width="485" /></a></div><div style="text-align: left;">Small handful of dried shiitake mushrooms<br />One small onion, chopped <br />2 venison shanks <br />4 carrots, peeled and cut into small chunks<br />Half a mooli, peeled and cut into chunks (a little larger than the carrot chunks)<br />200ml - 300ml chicken stock<br />1 tbsp five spice paste <br />1 tbsp gochujang<br />1 tbsp tomato purée<br />1 tsp red wine vinegar <br />1 tsp brown sugar <br />1 tbsp dark soy<br />Dash of sesame oil</div><p>To serve (optional, but a great contrast): </p><div style="text-align: left;">Grated mooli in lime juice, lime zest, soy sauce and sugar<br />A few spring onions<br />A few sliced pickled chillies </div><p><br /></p><p>Place the shiitake mushrooms in boiling water to rehydrate. Turn the slow cooker on to High.</p><p>In a frying pan over a low to moderate heat, soften the onion in a little oil until it's starting to take on a touch of colour. Add the onion to the slow cooker. </p><p>Season the venison shanks. Turn up the heat under the frying pan and brown the shanks on all sides. Add the shanks to the slow cooker.</p><p>Add the carrot and mooli chunks to the frying pan (with a little extra oil if necessary) and fry over a high heat until they start to take on a little colour. Add to the slow cooker. </p><p>Drain the shiitake mushrooms but retain the soaking water. Chop the mushrooms a little if the pieces are large and add them to the slow cooker.</p><p>Lower the heat under the frying pan and add the chicken stock, loosening any bits from the base of the pan. (The amount of chicken stock needed will depend on how closely the shanks and veg fill the slow cooker. If they're quite tightly packed, then 200ml should be plenty but add more if necessary). Stir the five spice paste, gochujang, tomato purée, red wine vinegar, brown sugar, soy sauce and sesame oil into the stock together with the soaking liquid from the mushrooms (being careful to avoid adding any grit there may be in the soaking liquid). Stir the liquid well, bring to a simmer and pour into the slow cooker. The liquid doesn't need to cover the shanks completely - about two thirds to three quarters is fine.</p><p>Leave to cook on High for 2 hours then turn the shanks over to even out the cooking. (This stage is not essential but it does lead to a more balanced result). Leave to cook for another 2 hours.</p><p>I like to add some acidity to the finished dish to contrast with the deep, rich flavour of the venison and lightly pickled mooli works well. So while the venison is cooking, grate some peeled mooli (around 5 - 10cm should be plenty) and mix it with the juice and zest of a small lime, a generous dash or two of soy sauce and some sugar or agave nectar. Taste and add as much sweetener as you like, but it's best to keep it quite sharp. Leave in the fridge until you're ready to serve.</p><p>After 4 hours in the slow cooker, check the shanks. The meat should be thoroughly cooked and coming away from the bones. If the meat still seems a little too firm, then leave them in the cooker for another hour.</p><p>Once you're satisfied that the shanks are ready, remove them from the cooker, take the meat off the bones and cut or tear any remaining large pieces into smaller chunks. Return the meat to the cooker and stir in thoroughly. You may well prefer to thicken the sauce a little before serving, using cornflour or whatever thickener you prefer.</p><p>To serve, top with the pickled mooli and sprinkle over some finely chopped spring onions and a few pickled chilli slices, if you have any to hand.</p>Phil in the Kitchenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15904292856978631382noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2578151607368747182.post-4441203351710186192023-02-18T23:27:00.000+00:002023-02-18T23:27:26.573+00:00Pork Fillet with Seville Oranges<p>Marmalade is a joyous thing but I think it's worth making much wider use of Seville oranges. They're sharp enough to be used in dressings in the place of lemons, for instance, and that dressing will work very well with roasted veg.</p><p>They also work in sauces. Duck is a traditional choice but, for a change, try cooking pork fillet in an orange sauce. Apart from the oranges, this sauce is made up of ingredients that I tend to have to have knocking around in the kitchen, but it's possible to make substitutions with your chosen favourites. The important thing is to get the sweet and sour balance just the way you like it. If you want to use other types of orange, then they'll probably be (significantly) sweeter, so reduce the amount of maple syrup you use and, maybe, add a little lemon juice.</p><p>This will serve 2.</p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><img alt="Pork Fillet with Seville Oranges" border="0" data-original-height="870" data-original-width="1500" height="281" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjpN12En9yXYruUXjpqFUanhRFzZcYLhCokgLH74BA11gQUU29W7qZdtN8jrcRyTcPrfhM5YJQQpkGYn9yIQKy3EVU9esPWUidrTA8emaIO5JYuzSH2dus81Vgvw9iJi4FcxVJDyvfLWf3a92oIetLDTvzB9qOn_q6vdnHkP-j3rgH8_kt4nNg7aPGqbw/w400-h233/Pork%20with%20Seville%20Oranges2.jpg" title="Pork Fillet with Seville Oranges" width="485" /></div><p>1 pork fillet (tenderloin)</p><p>Juice of 5 or 6 Seville oranges - about 150ml will be ideal</p><p>3 or 4 tsp maple syrup (add more or less to taste)</p><p>1 tsp dark soy sauce</p><p>1 tsp sweet chilli sauce</p><p>1 tbsp mango chutney</p><p><br /></p><p>Mix the orange juice, maple syrup, soy, sweet chilli and mango chutney together and check that the balance of flavours is to your liking. Add the sauce to a frying pan that will be big enough to hold the fillet without too much room to spare. Bring the sauce to the boil, reduce the heat slightly until the sauce is at a lively simmer and add the pork fillet.</p><p>Cook the pork in the sauce for 20 - 25 minutes, basting frequently and turning at least once every 4 or 5 minutes. If the sauce is in danger of drying up completely or burning, then add a little water. </p><p>At the end of this time, the sauce should have reduced to be more of a sticky glaze but don't let it burn or become too solid. Check that the pork is cooked through, remove the pan from the heat (but keep the remaining sauce warm) and take the pork out of the pan to rest for a few minutes. Carve the pork into generous slices and toss the slices in the reduced sauce before serving.</p><p>The sauce will have a serious amount of flavour and so it's probably best served with quite plain accompaniments such as green veg, mash, rice or noodles.</p><div><br /></div>Phil in the Kitchenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15904292856978631382noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2578151607368747182.post-2796906704323171672023-01-19T15:34:00.000+00:002023-01-19T15:34:24.036+00:00Sausages in Wheat Beer<p>This is a simple, cheap (or cheapish), low-effort dish that's also very comforting and warming on cold, January days.</p><p>I admit that many French sausages taste very strange to me but, some years ago, I came across some particularly fine sausages in the Cotentin and this is one of the ways they were being cooked. The original version of the dish contained some excellent Normandy black pudding but, if you don't fancy that or can't lay your hands on any, then do what I did here and use a little chorizo.</p><p>There are some very fine beers in the north of France but the Cotentin is probably better known for cider and you could certainly replace the beer with cider in this recipe. I do think the beer adds a good contrast to the apples, though. If you can't find wheat beer, then you can substitute a light style of beer such as one of multitude of trendy pale ales that seem to be popping up everywhere lately. </p><p>You could use any sausages you fancy but I think larger sausages with a high meat content work best. You could use any apples you fancy too but I like the mix of one dessert and one cooking apple to give a little extra acidity. (Cooking apples aren't very French, admittedly). The apples and potatoes will largely break up during cooking and lightly crushing them at the end gives a sausage and mash feeling with a very different sort of flavour. Don't worry about being too precise on quantities here; this dish is very forgiving. </p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgU5heWPcJRnJ89gqDE1HduLOwJ9wVCTgrl-HU2-xSCT_yJl9ZZ5Sh_T_YJaR1S_OEVSJwIfEOgQ7MKPJBExS12RM6iQxWXu2ylME5NDblMutoNX0YDDrOmxtInCiTJ2Q70gosnkljSRr2J/s1500/Sausages+in+Wheat+Beer+3.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="Sausages in Wheat Beer" border="0" data-original-height="1493" data-original-width="1500" height="483" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgU5heWPcJRnJ89gqDE1HduLOwJ9wVCTgrl-HU2-xSCT_yJl9ZZ5Sh_T_YJaR1S_OEVSJwIfEOgQ7MKPJBExS12RM6iQxWXu2ylME5NDblMutoNX0YDDrOmxtInCiTJ2Q70gosnkljSRr2J/w400-h399/Sausages+in+Wheat+Beer+3.JPG" title="Sausages in Wheat Beer" width="485" /></a></div><p>This should serve two quite generously and it doesn't need a lot with it to make a complete meal. Admittedly, a little bit of baguette is always welcome round here and a dollop of wholegrain mustard might not go amiss.</p><div style="text-align: left;">4 large or 6 average-sized sausages<br />500 g (or thereabouts) potatoes, peeled and roughly chopped or sliced (Maris Pipers work well)<br />1 small piece of black pudding or chorizo, chopped into small chunks<br />2 apples, peeled, core and chopped into large chunks or slices<br />330 ml (that's an average small bottle) wheat beer<br />A few parsley and/or chervil leaves to finish</div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><p>Preheat the oven to 180°C.</p><p>Add a little butter to a large frying pan over a medium heat, season the potato pieces with salt and pepper and fry them until they are starting to become lightly browned. Transfer them to an ovenproof casserole dish.</p><p>Add the black pudding or chorizo and fry briefly (add a little oil or butter, if necessary). Transfer to the casserole dish. Fry the sausages until they are lightly browned on all sides. Transfer to the casserole dish. Briefly fry the apple chunks before adding them to the casserole as well.</p><p>Increase the heat and pour the beer into the frying pan. Stir, making sure that you loosen any tasty bits from the bottom of the pan. Bring to the boil and pour into the casserole dish. Add a little more seasoning to the casserole and carefully stir the contents to mix them up a bit. Cover the casserole quite tightly and place in the oven for around 35 minutes.</p><p>After this time the apples should be very soft and the potatoes should be close to breaking up. Remove the sausages from the casserole and place on a warmed serving dish. Lightly crush the remaining contents of the casserole with the back of a serving spoon or a potato masher and add to the serving dish. Add a light sprinkling of the chopped parsley or chervil just before serving if you're feeling fancy.</p>Phil in the Kitchenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15904292856978631382noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2578151607368747182.post-61612514094175788472022-12-20T15:26:00.000+00:002022-12-20T15:26:44.425+00:00Pastis Landais<p>I've already given a recipe for the cake known as a <a href="https://asstrongassoup.blogspot.com/2017/04/tourte-or-pastis-or-croustade-of.html" target="_blank">pastis (or croustade) from the Pyrenees</a> but, more than five years later, I thought I really ought to get around to a recipe for the pastis from the Landes just down the road. (Admittedly, it's quite a long road and densely lined with pine trees towards the end). In the Pyrenees, the cake is usually made with baking powder but in the Landes yeast is used as the raising agent. It could make an interesting alternative to certain ubiquitous Italian cakes at this time of year. </p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhyNYsD7lz61yKIXalckkzwQfYGvfp3Yl7N16Fp6knvK068zGEzS3swEhTvF2jaerIv1QIf3VoQ94ZMdU00ec3ryleWCWWfzO-iS-I6dYxXcbOcHd3LJG2WGgEicubaUX2KUVJGfb5rWEFQiGKQqPegJkd2ELC4hZFSswcCMlxMLAhkGKLTa76XssP6rQ/s1531/Pastis%20Landais%201.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="957" data-original-width="1531" height="303" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhyNYsD7lz61yKIXalckkzwQfYGvfp3Yl7N16Fp6knvK068zGEzS3swEhTvF2jaerIv1QIf3VoQ94ZMdU00ec3ryleWCWWfzO-iS-I6dYxXcbOcHd3LJG2WGgEicubaUX2KUVJGfb5rWEFQiGKQqPegJkd2ELC4hZFSswcCMlxMLAhkGKLTa76XssP6rQ/w400-h250/Pastis%20Landais%201.jpg" width="485" /></a></div><p>The flavourings in the cake might seem a bit elaborate, but they're my attempt to recreate the complex flavour of the original. It will still make a fine cake if you want to leave one or more of the flavourings out - just don't boast about it in the Landes. I'm perfectly happy to have a slice of this just about anytime with tea or coffee but it's lovely with a generous dollop of crème anglaise or yoghurt and maybe a little fruit.</p><p>As ever, don't expect this recipe to be truly authentic - it's just my interpretation. And, in case you were wondering, this pastis has nothing to do with the drink of the same name other than some obscure etymological derivation that I can't really explain.</p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjHP-QxmKym2YLd979OvvTyqBJFtVsE0hztJTYR4_3wC6a4fsrLiAEwJYlgZ_kxZPKISV_nhZE7C81ByX1mDJvdxGYCN0UiseqyMER1toTvpVx9PCM_A-E4E-95kn558baHxB930JFpRe0FEaWeTrdeKQg1O7uHSmzgCidYHvhD2Rg7SM8PqDMUgpbXaQ/s1531/Pastis%20Landais%203.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1152" data-original-width="1531" height="365" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjHP-QxmKym2YLd979OvvTyqBJFtVsE0hztJTYR4_3wC6a4fsrLiAEwJYlgZ_kxZPKISV_nhZE7C81ByX1mDJvdxGYCN0UiseqyMER1toTvpVx9PCM_A-E4E-95kn558baHxB930JFpRe0FEaWeTrdeKQg1O7uHSmzgCidYHvhD2Rg7SM8PqDMUgpbXaQ/w400-h301/Pastis%20Landais%203.jpg" width="485" /></a></div><p>A stand mixer isn't essential for this recipe, but it does make life a lot easier since there's a quite a lot of beating involved. A brioche tin is ideal (but not essential) for baking this cake and the one I use has a diameter of 20 cm (at its widest) and a capacity of around 1.25 litres. I used dried yeast this time but, if you want to use fresh, dissolve around 12g of fresh yeast in the warm milk instead. </p><p><br /></p><p>100ml milk, warmed but not too hot</p><p>2 tsp dried yeast (or around 12g fresh yeast)</p><p>3 eggs</p><p>80g unsalted butter, melted and cooled</p><p>Zest of 1 lemon</p><p>1 tbsp dark rum</p><p>2 tsp orange blossom water</p><p>1 tsp vanilla extract</p><p>100g golden caster sugar</p><p>250g plain flour </p><p>2 tbsp vanilla sugar (or use pearl (nibbed) sugar or just plain sugar)</p><p><br /></p><p>Stir the yeast in the warmed milk until dissolved. Break the eggs into the bowl of a stand mixer and add the milk and yeast mixture, the melted butter, lemon zest, rum, orange blossom water, vanilla extract and the golden caster sugar. Beat them all together.</p><p>Add the flour gradually while continuing to beat. Once all the flour is incorporated, continue beating for 5 minutes or so. Meanwhile, butter the brioche tin. The mixture will remain quite loose, so don't worry if it seems too thin for cake making. </p><p>Transfer the mixture to the prepared tin, cover with a cloth and leave somewhere warm to rise for about 1 hour.</p><p>Preheat the oven to 180°C. Sprinkle the top of the dough with the vanilla sugar.</p><p>Bake in the centre of the oven for 30 - 35 minutes. When it's ready, a cake tester or knife should come out clean. Cool in the tin for 10 minutes or so before turning out and cooling completely on a rack.</p>Phil in the Kitchenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15904292856978631382noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2578151607368747182.post-1775127405550723152022-11-17T23:53:00.000+00:002022-11-17T23:53:49.561+00:00Hélénettes<p><span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: 14.6667px; white-space: pre-wrap;">Don't ask me about the history and origins of Hélénettes because I don't have a clue. All I know is that they're a simple, little, almond (or sometimes hazelnut) cake that's similar to a classic, old-style macaron but uses egg yolks rather than egg whites. This recipe is based on received wisdom (with only minor tweaks) from some French bakers that I've come across. They're really easy and quick to make. They're also a good way to use up egg yolks after the egg whites have played their part in other recipes such as meringues.</span></p><p><span><span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: 14.6667px; white-space: pre-wrap;">I like the vanilla flavour in this recipe but it could be replaced with almond extract, orange flower water or whatever else you might fancy - within reason. Alternatively, you could leave out the added flavouring altogether. You could also replace the ground almonds with ground hazelnuts if you feel like it or if you have some languishing in your cupboard.
<span style="font-size: 14.6667px;">Hélénettes are a very pleasant alternative to a more traditional biscuit or two. </span>I particularly like these alongside an espresso but they'll be fine with tea or whatever you prefer to drink on relaxed afternoons. They're also useful for adding a little texture to creamy dessert concoctions.</span></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span><span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: 14.6667px; white-space: pre-wrap;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhCvj1ZwYMBaVIo8kKiZTYo1a6lv0NGjq9EYS-HoclvraRjUCfBwYv4U2rYRsGq_Kgim1JkTsUnbLRY2aF1KDFKK__zuJBsH1Ahapg1nFwNy22iCe947hKWyMkdt_p03X6y0R5YFvzUTG6SCF3enToDt4YnkwiP8sGCw2Kdm0lLlRSYfF0R8xSuFhPDlQ/s1500/Helenettes%202.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="Hélénettes" border="0" data-original-height="1112" data-original-width="1500" height="360" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhCvj1ZwYMBaVIo8kKiZTYo1a6lv0NGjq9EYS-HoclvraRjUCfBwYv4U2rYRsGq_Kgim1JkTsUnbLRY2aF1KDFKK__zuJBsH1Ahapg1nFwNy22iCe947hKWyMkdt_p03X6y0R5YFvzUTG6SCF3enToDt4YnkwiP8sGCw2Kdm0lLlRSYfF0R8xSuFhPDlQ/w320-h237/Helenettes%202.JPG" title="Hélénettes" width="485" /></a></span></span><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: 14.6667px; white-space: pre-wrap;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: 14.6667px; white-space: pre-wrap;">2 egg yolks</span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span><span><span style="font-size: 14.6667px; white-space: pre-wrap;">100g golden caster sugar</span></span></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: 14.6667px; white-space: pre-wrap;">80g unsalted butter, melted and cooled</span></div><span><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: 14.6667px; white-space: pre-wrap;">1 tsp vanilla extract or paste</span></div><span><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: 14.6667px; white-space: pre-wrap;">100g plain flour</span></div><span><div style="font-family: inherit; text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: 14.6667px; white-space: pre-wrap;">100g ground almonds</span></div><span><div style="font-family: inherit; font-size: 14.6667px; text-align: left; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: 14.6667px;"> </span></div><div style="font-family: inherit; font-size: 14.6667px; text-align: left; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: 14.6667px;"><br /></span></div><div style="font-family: inherit; font-size: 14.6667px; text-align: left; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: 14.6667px;">Preheat the oven to 180°C fan.</span></div><div style="font-family: inherit; font-size: 14.6667px; text-align: left; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: 14.6667px;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="font-family: inherit; font-size: 14.6667px; text-align: left; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: 14.6667px;">Whisk the egg yolks and caster sugar together until very thoroughly combined. Whisk in the melted, cooled butter and the vanilla extract until you get a smooth and even mixture - this could take a minute or two of vigorous mixing, so it's easiest to use a machine.</span></div><div style="font-family: inherit; font-size: 14.6667px; text-align: left; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: 14.6667px;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="font-family: inherit; font-size: 14.6667px; text-align: left; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: 14.6667px;">Stir in the flour until well combined and then add the ground almonds in the same way. This will give you quite a thick, paste-like mixture.</span></div><div style="font-family: inherit; font-size: 14.6667px; text-align: left; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: 14.6667px;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="font-family: inherit; font-size: 14.6667px; text-align: left; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: 14.6667px;">Prepare a large baking tray by lining with baking paper or a non-stick mat. Use a tablespoon to scoop out pieces of the dough and roll them between your palms to form into balls (well, roughly balls - you don't need to be too precise). Place on the prepared baking tray, leaving some space between each ball since they will spread a little while baking. You should end up with around 20 balls of dough.</span></div><div style="font-family: inherit; font-size: 14.6667px; text-align: left; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: 14.6667px;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="font-family: inherit; font-size: 14.6667px; text-align: left; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: 14.6667px;">Bake for 10 minutes or until the the tops of the cakes are a light, golden brown. Cool on a wire rack but be careful when handling them fresh from the oven because they'll be quite fragile while hot.</span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: 14.6667px; white-space: pre-wrap;"><br /></span></div><div style="font-family: inherit; font-size: 14.6667px; text-align: left; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: 14.6667px;">Once cooled, store any that you haven't eaten already in sealed tins or boxes. </span><span style="font-size: 14.6667px;">Hélénettes</span><span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: 14.6667px;"> will store quite happily for a few days, but they will tend to lose their sparkle if stored for too long. Fortunately, they do freeze well.</span></div></span></span></span></span></div>Phil in the Kitchenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15904292856978631382noreply@blogger.com6tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2578151607368747182.post-33023117670757681182022-10-13T23:08:00.000+01:002022-10-13T23:08:02.107+01:00Banana Soup<p>This oddly-nostalgic recipe might seem a bit strange these days but I was reminded of this savoury soup when I dredged the recipe for <a href="https://asstrongassoup.blogspot.com/2022/02/chicken-liver-pate-with-rum-mango-and.html" target="_blank">Chicken Liver Pâté with Rum and Mango</a> out of my memory a while ago. Around the late eighties or early nineties, there was a brief trend among some British recipe writers to celebrate cooking with bananas. I remember a number of recipes for banana chutney (often very tasty), banana jam (interesting but usually ludicrously sweet) and soups such as this one. I've made this from memory, so it may not be entirely true to the period.</p><p>I don't think of this as a hearty, lunchtime soup to satisfy your appetite after a hard morning's work. Rather, I think it's a soup to serve in small bowls as a starter. But what do I know? It's certainly a different way of enjoying bananas that's hopefully not <i>too</i> different for your guests. I seem to remember one restaurant serving a soup something like this with one or two freshly cooked prawns. I'm not entirely convinced about that combination but you might like to try it.</p><p>The small amount of liqueur enhances the flavours but, if you want to avoid alcohol, then leave it out - it's not truly critical. You could use a reduced-fat coconut milk in this soup; it will be less rich but that might not always be a bad thing. </p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEigrkznM64YHA7MkCcPp-2f1eZuFwbO14IQoED3KcrUQFbtJjMIHgGuRGRF-TmOf0b-kh5Vhuo4gJnBjxnb_4AoOf3RvKMkmF4R0uE2MKYs6pND4_o_ESMs4mPTRWMrlUI6wOgwXpXMm3SySAcnY2wVZ4VtDwxwMStYIgsOGCqjMquXLk9bnfkdH9TU9g/s1500/Banana%20Soup%202.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="Banana Soup" border="0" data-original-height="1286" data-original-width="1500" height="416" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEigrkznM64YHA7MkCcPp-2f1eZuFwbO14IQoED3KcrUQFbtJjMIHgGuRGRF-TmOf0b-kh5Vhuo4gJnBjxnb_4AoOf3RvKMkmF4R0uE2MKYs6pND4_o_ESMs4mPTRWMrlUI6wOgwXpXMm3SySAcnY2wVZ4VtDwxwMStYIgsOGCqjMquXLk9bnfkdH9TU9g/s320/Banana%20Soup%202.jpg" title="Banana Soup" width="485" /></a></div><p>As a starter this should serve between 4 and 6 people, depending on appetite; as a more substantial lunch soup it should serve 3.</p><p><br /></p><p>1 -2 tsp coconut oil</p><p>1 small onion, finely chopped</p><p>2 cm (or thereabouts) fresh ginger, grated</p><p>2 tbsp white rice</p><p>½ tsp ground cumin </p><p>½ tsp ground coriander</p><p>½ tsp lemongrass, crushed (optional because it's a bit of a faff but, if you have some, it's worth using)</p><p>500 ml vegetable stock</p><p>200 ml coconut milk</p><p>1 - 2 tsp Malibu (or other coconut rum liqueur)</p><p>Juice of ½ lime</p><p>2 bananas, peeled and sliced</p><p>Chilli sauce to serve</p><p><br /></p><p>In a pan that has a lid, soften the onion for around 10 minutes in the coconut oil. Add the ginger and continue frying for another minute. Stir in the rice, cumin, coriander and lemongrass. Pour in the stock and coconut milk, stir thoroughly and bring to the boil. Turn the heat down, cover the pan and let it simmer gently for 25 minutes. </p><p>Add the Malibu, lime juice, bananas, some salt and pepper and take the pan off the heat. Purée the soup; this is a quick process, so a hand blender is probably easiest. Check the seasoning and the balance of sweet and sour flavours. If you're using very ripe, sweet bananas then you might find you need more lime juice. </p><p>Reheat and serve with a swirl or drizzle of whatever chilli sauce you fancy. If you want to avoid adding any chilli, then a little lemon ketchup or sauce makes a good, albeit slightly less colourful, alternative.</p>Phil in the Kitchenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15904292856978631382noreply@blogger.com7tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2578151607368747182.post-49115640329729024912022-09-08T17:02:00.000+01:002022-09-08T17:02:54.877+01:00Monkey Gland Sauce - The Fraudulent Version<p>Think of this as a tribute to the joyful South African sauce because it's <b><i>absolutely not</i> </b>the authentic recipe. But it's a delicious, lively sauce that's highly adaptable, even if it is a bit eccentric. Easily put together largely from tins and jars that you could well have in the cupboard, it's perfect for grilled, barbequed or simply-roasted meats or vegetables. It can also be used as a marinade, a heated sauce or a cold ketchup style condiment (or a combination of the above). Most recently, I used it as a sauce with chargrilled duck.</p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgsiaWYGD0UU1P8KSazG4ljRhsSmXvjhfGLlJTuV1HJh231XbdviwkLshlgwNH2jMHkt_YyVjCyKzH17fj0mfpJsW-N_SaRcCYzY50xlMh7uUbHOqE8hqpb--uDlF4wJQTjDbjqn2GGe2PN5XDX8rhthZnYTnY7s9uhgXBhe8ohnK3GQjH0zntgPwpTMA/s1500/Monkey%20Gland%20Sauce%203.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="Fraudulent Monkey Gland Sauce with Duck" border="0" data-original-height="940" data-original-width="1500" height="304" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgsiaWYGD0UU1P8KSazG4ljRhsSmXvjhfGLlJTuV1HJh231XbdviwkLshlgwNH2jMHkt_YyVjCyKzH17fj0mfpJsW-N_SaRcCYzY50xlMh7uUbHOqE8hqpb--uDlF4wJQTjDbjqn2GGe2PN5XDX8rhthZnYTnY7s9uhgXBhe8ohnK3GQjH0zntgPwpTMA/w320-h201/Monkey%20Gland%20Sauce%203.jpg" title="Fraudulent Monkey Gland Sauce with Duck" width="485" /></a></div><p>You could use fresh peaches in this sauce but tinned are available all year and make life really easy. I use a small tin of peach slices in fruit juice and I use the fruit juice from the tin to thin the sauce, if it needs it. If you use fresh peaches, you may need to add a little water and if you use peaches in syrup, then you may want to increase the amount of vinegar in the recipe. But this base recipe is very forgiving and open to all sorts of tweaks.</p><p>This is not intended to be direct replacement for the commercial sauce and needs to be stored more carefully. It will keep for a few days in the fridge and freezes very well. Depending on how thick you want the finished sauce to be, this will probably make around 600ml. </p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgTgwgJeTul8nTLN42SeoxQ9qtoPgcKD2BIS4f4TJOHaqzD3QiAXfHl6utgFSWZ7HsM-tFjRuQdp74lTO7ffxQaIkDnzta-5957aRDbddXSgIa8zHHIVVmmvRBJEA6A8WP4qqsmwHz_P1Tz9bQu0VVomdo6pk5WuC2uaY6p1pMxw8booaIbtwOEVqVwFg/s1500/Monkey%20Gland%20Sauce%201.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="Fraudulent Monkey Gland Sauce" border="0" data-original-height="1078" data-original-width="1500" height="349" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgTgwgJeTul8nTLN42SeoxQ9qtoPgcKD2BIS4f4TJOHaqzD3QiAXfHl6utgFSWZ7HsM-tFjRuQdp74lTO7ffxQaIkDnzta-5957aRDbddXSgIa8zHHIVVmmvRBJEA6A8WP4qqsmwHz_P1Tz9bQu0VVomdo6pk5WuC2uaY6p1pMxw8booaIbtwOEVqVwFg/w320-h230/Monkey%20Gland%20Sauce%201.jpg" title="Fraudulent Monkey Gland Sauce" width="485" /></a></div><br /><p>1 onion, chopped</p><p>2 cm (roughly) fresh ginger, grated</p><p>2 garlic cloves, grated or crushed</p><p>2 tbsp red wine vinegar</p><p>1 tin (400g) chopped tomatoes (or use whole tomatoes and break them up a bit)</p><p>1 tbsp Worcestershire sauce (or Henderson's Relish)</p><p>1 tsp English mustard</p><p>3 tbsp apricot jam</p><p>150g drained weight tinned peach slices (or halves) in fruit juice, reserve the juice </p><p><br /></p><p>In a medium-sized pan slowly soften the onion in a little oil for 10 - 15 minutes. Add the ginger and garlic and continue frying slowly for a few more minutes. Add the red wine vinegar followed by the tinned tomatoes, Worcestershire sauce, mustard and apricot jam. Chop the peaches up a little and add them to the pan. Season with a little salt and pepper and stir everything together thoroughly. Bring to the boil and simmer the sauce very gently for 30 - 40 minutes. If the sauce seems a little too thick, then add the reserved fruit juice or just a little water.</p><p>Cool the sauce a little, then liquidise. (I prefer the sauce to be smooth but it's fine with some texture if you prefer that way). Taste and adjust the seasoning and the sweet and sour balance to your liking.</p><p>Serve warm or chill and keep in the fridge for a day or two or freeze in suitably-sized portions for future use.</p>Phil in the Kitchenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15904292856978631382noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2578151607368747182.post-42528504556866345332022-08-09T23:36:00.000+01:002022-08-09T23:36:43.211+01:00Apple Cake for Dessert<p>Thinking about my current (half-hearted) project to record recipes that I've failed to publish over the years, I realised that I've only included one <a href="https://asstrongassoup.blogspot.com/2010/10/europom-and-apple-ginger-and-lemon-cake.html" target="_blank">apple cake recipe</a>. This is odd because back in the 1980s I was strangely obsessed by apple cakes and collected recipes from all over the country. I found that there were broadly two types of English apple cake: one that was best served with tea in the afternoon and one that was best served as a dessert accompanied by custard or cream (clotted for preference, although in these restrained times yoghurt or fromage frais might be more acceptable). </p><p>So, to make up for the omission, here's a version of apple cake that's in the pudding category. It has a high proportion of apples to flour and remains very moist as a result. It does still work very nicely with afternoon tea, if sliced carefully. Sadly, due to erratic record keeping (I was like that in the 1980s), I'm not sure where I found the original version of this recipe. At a guess, I'd say it was somewhere in Dorset.</p><p>Firm eating apples work best in this cake and you'll probably need between 3 and 5 of them, depending on size. Cider would probably be the traditional choice for soaking the sultanas but calvados, brandy or fruit liqueurs add a pleasing bit of extra punch. I used a homemade damson rum, but that's just showing off. If you want to avoid alcohol, then apple juice will be fine. Use whichever spice or spice mixture you prefer but I think it's best to avoid overwhelming the flavour of the apples, so be a little parsimonious, if in doubt. </p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj6_ocLyHdyJHp2POs67gB_lhzAr02YFwBhtdZ5jRUXsCRC6mOGjbGmo3_ULqSYwCzn5-cfouzhGwNM20UIU0W38JkkGuL-KmVk4lChCnLth5MKWkmab55zUjfQhqUWKLq-NLdNknjOJPeUeLcOguyd6e_TCTLQWaSS4QzgIDDDBrNv58Qji-05QyRQsg/s1000/Apple%20Cake%201a.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="Apple Cake" border="0" data-original-height="976" data-original-width="1000" height="473" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj6_ocLyHdyJHp2POs67gB_lhzAr02YFwBhtdZ5jRUXsCRC6mOGjbGmo3_ULqSYwCzn5-cfouzhGwNM20UIU0W38JkkGuL-KmVk4lChCnLth5MKWkmab55zUjfQhqUWKLq-NLdNknjOJPeUeLcOguyd6e_TCTLQWaSS4QzgIDDDBrNv58Qji-05QyRQsg/w320-h312/Apple%20Cake%201a.JPG" title="Apple Cake" width="485" /></a></div><div><div>70g sultanas</div><div>120ml cider or calvados or brandy or liqueur or apple juice</div><div>250g self-raising flour</div><div>2 tsp baking powder</div><div>125g unsalted butter, diced</div><div>125g golden caster sugar</div><div>Spice: 1 tsp cinnamon or 1 tsp ground ginger or ½ tsp cardamom seeds, crushed </div><div>400g (or thereabouts) prepared weight of apples - peeled, cored and sliced thinly </div><div>2 eggs, lightly beaten</div><div><br /></div><div>Soak the sultanas in the cider or whatever you like for at least 4 hours or overnight. </div><div><br /></div><div>Butter and line the base of an 8 inch/20cm round cake tin (a depth of about 2½ inches/6cm or a bit more would be ideal). Preheat the oven to 180°C fan.</div><div><br /></div><div>Add the flour, baking powder and butter to a food processor and pulse until the mixture is thoroughly combined and looks a bit like coarse sand. Add the sugar and your choice of spice and pulse to combine thoroughly. (Of course, you can do this by hand if you prefer). Pour the mixture into a large bowl.</div><div><br /></div><div>Stir in the apple slices, the sultanas and any leftover soaking liquid. Stir in the eggs until evenly combined. </div><div><br /></div><div>Turn the mixture out into the prepared tin and even out the top. Bake for around 40 minutes until the top of the cake is browned and a knife or cake tester comes out clean. (This test can be misleading because the large proportion of apple in this recipe will mean that the cake has a lot of moisture so, if in doubt, test more than once). The baking time for this recipe can vary a good deal due to the natural variation in juiciness of the apples you use. Cover the top of the cake with baking paper to prevent it browning too much if it needs longer in the oven.</div><div><br /></div><div>Cool in the tin for 5 minutes or so before removing carefully from the tin (it's fragile while hot) and cooling completely on a wire rack. The cake is best served sliced either at room temperature or gently warmed with some sort of creamy substance or custard. </div></div><div><br /></div><div>If you want to store this cake for a few days, then it's best kept in the fridge or, at least, somewhere very cool. It also freezes well. </div>Phil in the Kitchenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15904292856978631382noreply@blogger.com6tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2578151607368747182.post-10520982041436350112022-07-10T16:38:00.000+01:002022-07-10T16:38:36.456+01:00Poulet au Vinaigre - The Lunchtime Version<p>As part of this year's project to uncover the recipes and styles of cooking that I've left out of this blog for inexplicable reasons, I wanted to include more of the food from the small bistros in France (and sometimes England) that I've enjoyed over very many years. So here's a version of poulet au vinaigre based on the simple, cheap but delicious lunches that I've enjoyed at small French bistros, bars and cafés.</p><p>Poulet au vinaigre is a great classic that you'll find all over France and in many cookery books of French cuisine. The books will usually contain a refined, classic version of the dish which starts with a whole chicken and uses different cooking times for the various parts of the bird. There's absolutely nothing wrong with that but that's not what this recipe is all about.</p><p>I'm recreating the sort of lunch served to large, communal tables in happy, friendly places in the north of France 20 or 30 years ago. Such places are still around if you look diligently for them, but it seems that they're rapidly becoming an endangered species. The little café where I ate the original of this dish became a pizza restaurant for a few years before evolving into the empty, boarded-up premises that it remains to this day.</p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhK25393lXZib4FjT9xPybB3QSTuYmQtiI9xFG-HIfhf1_nkKC-sNJZuMcY2UgboTdG7kIW1eytYKzt23SmojIr5gwz4z1BdxvZDWvRk55FBlUYbucYtojD8-76JXpOXWgCy3ayeZuOGr7O-e6LZKjtjKJ2s_wKeJLFVnfHkFBoBTOFNE2s73FvKuxElw/s1500/Poulet%20au%20Vinaigre%201.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="Poulet au Vinaigre - The Lunchtime Version" border="0" data-original-height="1259" data-original-width="1500" height="407" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhK25393lXZib4FjT9xPybB3QSTuYmQtiI9xFG-HIfhf1_nkKC-sNJZuMcY2UgboTdG7kIW1eytYKzt23SmojIr5gwz4z1BdxvZDWvRk55FBlUYbucYtojD8-76JXpOXWgCy3ayeZuOGr7O-e6LZKjtjKJ2s_wKeJLFVnfHkFBoBTOFNE2s73FvKuxElw/w400-h336/Poulet%20au%20Vinaigre%201.jpg" title="Poulet au Vinaigre - The Lunchtime Version" width="485" /></a></div><p>Because this version of the dish is based on a northern French original, calvados was added to the sauce, but brandy will be fine. If you want to avoid alcohol entirely, then the sauce will work without it, although I think it really does taste better with that small, boozy addition. If you have a good quality red wine vinegar, then use it here; the quality of the vinegar does make a significant difference to the flavour. This should serve 3 as a lunch dish with some pasta, rice or potatoes. Or maybe some vegetables, although that might be a radical suggestion in the kind of bistro I remember so fondly.</p><p><br /></p><p>6 chicken thighs, skin on and bone in</p><p>A few tablespoons plain flour seasoned generously with salt and pepper</p><p>2 shallots, finely chopped</p><p>2 cloves of garlic, finely chopped</p><p>1 tbsp (or a little bit more) calvados or brandy</p><p>90 ml red wine vinegar</p><p>150 ml chicken stock</p><p>2 tbsp Dijon mustard</p><p>50 ml crème fraîche</p><p>2 - 3 tsp tarragon leaves, chopped, to finish</p><p><br /></p><p>Preheat the oven to 180°C (fan) and put in an oven tray that's large enough to hold the thighs in one layer and deep enough to allow them to be covered.</p><p>Coat the chicken thighs lightly all over with the seasoned flour. Heat a tablespoon of olive oil and a generous knob of butter in a frying pan large enough to contain all the thighs. Fry the thighs for 15 minutes, turning now and then. They should have taken on a nice bit of colour and have released a fair amount of fat. Transfer the thighs to the preheated oven tray, cover with another tray or some foil and put the tray back in the oven for 20 minutes.</p><p>While the chicken is in the oven, pour some of the extra fat away from the pan and fry the shallots gently for 5 minutes. Add the garlic and fry gently for another 5 minutes. Increase the heat a little and stir the calvados or brandy into the pan. Pour in the red wine vinegar and the chicken stock. Bring to the boil, then reduce to a very gentle simmer. Stir in the Dijon mustard and the crème fraîche until thoroughly combined. Remove the chicken thighs from the oven after their 20 minutes of cooking and add them to the pan. Coat the thighs in the sauce and continue cooking gently for 10 minutes. Adjust the seasoning.</p><p>Serve 2 thighs per person with your chosen accompaniment and sprinkle with the chopped tarragon leaves on the plate.</p>Phil in the Kitchenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15904292856978631382noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2578151607368747182.post-52007531308635223832022-06-12T23:44:00.000+01:002022-06-12T23:44:59.813+01:00Pain d’chien<p>For years I've been intrigued by food from the very north of France, specifically around la Côte d'Opale. In part because, even in France, it's a cuisine that's often unfairly dismissed as consisting largely of variants of cheese on toast (Le Welsh), frites and mind-numbingly smelly cheeses such as Maroilles (it's actually a <b>very</b> fine cheese, honest). But the other reason was that the area is separated from the southern part of England by a very narrow stretch of sea and I was fascinated by the similarities and differences between the two styles of cooking.</p><p>I've included a number of recipes that I've gathered from the area in the blog before such as <a href="https://asstrongassoup.blogspot.com/2012/03/carbonade-flamande.html" target="_blank">Carbonade Flamande</a>, <a href="https://asstrongassoup.blogspot.com/2015/12/turkey-with-beer-and-juniper.html" target="_blank">Turkey with Beer and Juniper</a>, <a href="https://asstrongassoup.blogspot.com/2014/09/tarte-au-maroilles-lazy-persons-guide.html" target="_blank">Tarte au Maroilles</a> and, my absolute favourite, <a href="https://asstrongassoup.blogspot.com/2015/02/gateau-battu.html" target="_blank">Gâteau Battu</a>. But the pain d'chien perfectly demonstrates the similarities between British and northern French food. If you're familiar with British bread pudding then pain d'chien is not surprising at all. In fact, as if to emphasise the similarity, it's also often known as ‘Pudding au pain’ or even simply ‘Le Pudding’. Just as in Britain it's a frugal and no-waste way of using leftover bread or brioche (anti-gaspi as our French friends might put it). I just love it made with brioche that's a little past its best.</p><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjgs7Dr3UcKIcn925ju6j4Hsmh8GI-0W3VbHdDY0_Y8TrFy8vlJjjYKaoumj96aAJH3qGj_eUx-l7b24xYzAg5wguoqZ7TyUFzIOjq1lPBXDrnA5GFiVdHiQ3v0qEodxan49vzXlPNCNrIAIJ0OsOWiDPnpo_JXLFh52tCDZHKEbTFPwO_JrVW8FMoHww/s1500/Pain%20d'chien%201.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="Pain d’chien" border="0" data-original-height="1088" data-original-width="1500" height="352" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjgs7Dr3UcKIcn925ju6j4Hsmh8GI-0W3VbHdDY0_Y8TrFy8vlJjjYKaoumj96aAJH3qGj_eUx-l7b24xYzAg5wguoqZ7TyUFzIOjq1lPBXDrnA5GFiVdHiQ3v0qEodxan49vzXlPNCNrIAIJ0OsOWiDPnpo_JXLFh52tCDZHKEbTFPwO_JrVW8FMoHww/w320-h232/Pain%20d'chien%201.jpg" title="Pain d’chien" width="485" /></a></div>Some aspects of this recipe are a little different to classic British bread pudding. For instance, sometimes apples are added either chopped or as a compote (admittedly, I have seen this occasionally in Kent too) and rum is often used to soak the dried fruit. Of course, you don't have to use rum, another spirit or liqueur (Grand Marnier, for instance), fruit juice or even water could be substituted. Personally, I love the rum in this.<p></p><br /><p>100g raisins</p><p>4 tbsp rum, or whatever soaking liquid you prefer</p><p>300g leftover brioche (or white bread) cut or torn into small pieces</p><p>600ml milk, full fat or semi-skimmed</p><p>80g golden caster sugar</p><p>25g butter</p><p>1 tsp vanilla paste or extract</p><p>2 eggs, lightly beaten</p><p>4 tbsp apple purée</p><p>2 tbsp demerara sugar</p><p><br /></p><p>Soak the raisins in the rum (or an alternative) overnight or, at least, for several hours.</p><p>Put the brioche bits in a heatproof bowl. Heat the milk, butter, caster sugar and vanilla together, stirring to combine, until nearly boiling. Pour over the brioche and mix in very thoroughly. Set aside somewhere cool for an hour or two.</p><p>Preheat the oven to 180°C (fan).</p><p>Add the eggs, apple purée and raisins to the bowl and mix in thoroughly.</p><p>Butter a 2lb (900g) loaf tin and add the mixture, making sure there are no air bubbles. Sprinkle the demerara sugar over the top.</p><p>Bake for 45 minutes until the top has taken on some colour and the pudding feels springy to the touch. Allow the pudding to cool in the tin for about 10 minutes before turning out onto a wire rack to cool completely.</p><p>Cut into slices and serve warm, chilled or at room temperature as the mood takes you. Personally, I think it's best really cold and served with cold custard (sorry, I should say crème anglaise). Some people insist that it's better to wait a day before eating the pudding to get the best flavour and texture and I think they may be right.</p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhdQHajFcMTHBuhet1bWeS1qU3tGOcmL6-SmDoc0v18FdbKuLvdLv7dPkRk3DHLXIeq9VmpkwKn8dusYbLlJyf76uXlxpSZ5IgtsD63iD9-RIHzDpxX2dhJ86zEuTuZamMkO-ImXGYemTmWyog_EeOq7AsilbPY4aHw-kGHIAFtOGQnyZsbX7CJ5kR1gA/s1500/Pain%20d'chien%203.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="Pain d’chien" border="0" data-original-height="1500" data-original-width="1162" height="485" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhdQHajFcMTHBuhet1bWeS1qU3tGOcmL6-SmDoc0v18FdbKuLvdLv7dPkRk3DHLXIeq9VmpkwKn8dusYbLlJyf76uXlxpSZ5IgtsD63iD9-RIHzDpxX2dhJ86zEuTuZamMkO-ImXGYemTmWyog_EeOq7AsilbPY4aHw-kGHIAFtOGQnyZsbX7CJ5kR1gA/w248-h320/Pain%20d'chien%203.jpg" title="Pain d’chien" width="376" /></a></div><br /><p><br /></p><div><br /></div>Phil in the Kitchenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15904292856978631382noreply@blogger.com7tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2578151607368747182.post-74781448187334945462022-05-12T23:18:00.000+01:002022-05-12T23:18:01.668+01:00Chicken Moghlai from the 1980s<div style="text-align: left;">As part of this year's nostalgic and somewhat bemused review of the food styles and recipes that so far I've neglected in the blog, I got to thinking about classic curries. I've included a couple of time-honoured (or, some might say, hopelessly out-of-date) curry recipes already - <a href="https://asstrongassoup.blogspot.com/2020/03/goat-rogan-josh-inauthentic-slow-cooker.html" style="text-decoration-line: none; text-indent: 36pt;" target="_blank"><span style="color: #1155cc; font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; text-decoration-line: underline; text-decoration-skip-ink: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Goat Rogan Josh</span></a> and <a href="https://asstrongassoup.blogspot.com/2019/06/lamb-bhuna-south-london-1980s-version.html" style="text-decoration-line: none; text-indent: 36pt;" target="_blank"><span style="color: #1155cc; font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; text-decoration-line: underline; text-decoration-skip-ink: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Lamb Bhuna</span></a> - but I couldn't resist adding this one. If you search for Moghlai cooking then you might well find it described as combining ancient traditions of Persian and Indian cooking. I'm sure that's the case but I've derived this dish from the more recent tradition of British curry houses of the 1980s. This is a delicate, rich and fragrant korma that's very characteristic of some of the dishes you'd find being celebrated back then.</div><span id="docs-internal-guid-4572424b-7fff-ed9d-05d6-0da075cd8d5a"><div><br /></div><div>I've been reasonably faithful to the recipe of the time, but I've reduced the amount of cream a bit. The other change I've made is to use chicken thighs. Back in the 80s, you weren't thought to be making an effort unless you used the whole chicken and jointed it yourself. I think the thighs give a more consistent result and are less of a faff. On the other hand, the one thing that was absolutely non-negotiable in the recipes that I collected back then was that the chicken should <i>always</i> be cooked and served on the bone. It does make a difference and I wouldn't dare change that.</div><div><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgsKm9BV77VsUZtxcI03ebelZG7Q19I1y1IFAUEoBCEZQsgcm0a7bu1uYf7YIN1XS29eHwDjM24Y80Xg4CSCRRUi69iHH1HLuunYEmhzywDvJhGkZxlR1B6LcuLhz-A4mgv6Obgp5m6swSi/s1500/Chicken+Moghlai+3.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="Chicken Moghlai" border="0" data-original-height="1117" data-original-width="1500" height="361" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgsKm9BV77VsUZtxcI03ebelZG7Q19I1y1IFAUEoBCEZQsgcm0a7bu1uYf7YIN1XS29eHwDjM24Y80Xg4CSCRRUi69iHH1HLuunYEmhzywDvJhGkZxlR1B6LcuLhz-A4mgv6Obgp5m6swSi/w400-h297/Chicken+Moghlai+3.JPG" title="Chicken Moghlai" width="485" /></a></div><div>Ideally, buy the chicken thighs with the skin on and remove it yourself. You can then render the fat from the skin in a dry frying pan, use that fat to cook the onions and, at the same time, produce some nice crispy chicken skin for scattering on the finished dish. (OK, that's probably a 21st century affectation). If you don't have the chicken fat, then just use a couple of tablespoons of oil.</div><div><br /></div><div>Add some rice and this will serve at least 4 people but, in the tradition of 1980s curry houses, it will serve more when accompanied by a motley selection of other curries and side dishes and shared by a motley group of chums carrying Filofaxes.</div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div>2 onions, sliced</div><div>1 kg of chicken thighs, bone in, skinned</div><div>50 g cashews</div><div>5 cloves garlic, peeled</div><div>2 cm of peeled ginger </div><div>1 tsp ground coriander</div><div>5 tbsp yoghurt </div><div>5 tbsp double cream</div><div>5 cardamom pods, seeds only</div><div>3 fresh red chillies, finely chopped (or less if you don't fancy the heat)</div><div>1 small lime, juice only</div><div><br /></div><div>To serve: toasted cashews, crispy fried shallots or onions, crispy fried chicken skin</div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div>Fry the onions slowly in either the chicken fat or oil until they're completely softened and have taken on some golden brown colour. This will take a while and it's best not to rush it. </div><div><br /></div><div>While that's happening add the cashews, garlic and ginger to a mini processor (or a pestle and mortar if you're feeling strong) and whiz until you get a thick paste. Stir the ground coriander, cardamom seeds, yoghurt, double cream and some salt and pepper into the paste.</div><div> </div><div>Once the onions are ready, increase the heat a little and fry the chillies for a minute or so. Add the chicken thighs to the pan and fry briefly on all sides. Add the paste and 100ml water and stir in thoroughly.</div><div><br /></div><div>Cover and simmer very gently for 40 minutes. Make sure that it doesn't dry out during this time. Uncover and continue simmering for 10 minutes until the chicken is thoroughly cooked and the sauce has thickened. Stir in the lime juice.</div><div><br /></div><div>Just before serving, scatter over a few toasted cashews, a few pieces of crispy fried shallots or onions and, if you have any, some small pieces of the crispy chicken skin.</div></span>Phil in the Kitchenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15904292856978631382noreply@blogger.com6tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2578151607368747182.post-54801515102334718732022-04-13T23:09:00.000+01:002022-04-13T23:09:02.543+01:00Apple Bread in a Breadmaker<p>I mostly use my breadmaker to save time making dough which I then finish by baking in the oven. But this apple bread recipe is intended for days when you really don't have <i>any</i> time at all to faff about and is made entirely in the machine. It's a useful standby bread for busy celebration times like Easter or Christmas. I wouldn't call this a brioche because to me brioche means a LOT of butter but it's an enriched, sweetened bread that does have the feel of brioche. It's less rich than a classic brioche but it's also a bit less of a threat to the waistline and it proves that the old baking trick of replacing some of the butter with apple purée really does work.</p><p>This makes a fine breakfast bread but is not too sweet to be used alongside savoury foods. It toasts well (but it tends to toast quickly, so be careful). If you happen to have any left over, it will make a very useful base for a dessert or two such as a classic bread and butter pudding. </p><p>I've used some clementine zest to flavour this loaf, but other flavours will work just as well: lemon zest or extract, vanilla paste or powder or almond extract would all be good. It's easy to overdo the flavouring with extracts, though, so be a little cautious. Of course, I assume that you'll slave away producing your own apple purée but, let's be honest, it's much easier to open a jar. </p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjC04iBi10886_GUt8wDvy8ENpQzHZrkpwaLWpqlG47KxS8jGI9pdHmcbG0OuNZjeHaF717tl1qKlopSq8CbXFxXIlHGFOg1jFBPO6gX9ikS2ztVEKA4utS_B7muRyjp5_U5h2g-WOZTrgX/s1500/Apple+Bread+2.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="Apple Bread in a Breadmaker" border="0" data-original-height="1500" data-original-width="1208" height="485" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjC04iBi10886_GUt8wDvy8ENpQzHZrkpwaLWpqlG47KxS8jGI9pdHmcbG0OuNZjeHaF717tl1qKlopSq8CbXFxXIlHGFOg1jFBPO6gX9ikS2ztVEKA4utS_B7muRyjp5_U5h2g-WOZTrgX/w323-h400/Apple+Bread+2.JPG" title="Apple Bread in a Breadmaker" width="391" /></a></div><p>1 tsp dried, fast-action yeast</p><p>400g white bread flour</p><p>3 tbsp golden caster sugar</p><p>50g butter, at room temperature, cut into small cubes</p><p>1 tsp salt</p><p>Zest of 1 clementine or half an orange, very finely grated (or other flavouring, see above)</p><p>2 large eggs</p><p>125g apple purée</p><p>80ml milk (semi-skimmed or full fat)</p><p><br /></p><p>The order of ingredients given below is correct for a Panasonic breadmaker but, if you have a different type of machine, you may need to reverse the order of dry and liquid ingredients. Please check the instructions for your breadmaker.</p><p>Add the first six, dry ingredients to the breadmaker bucket. </p><p>Lightly whisk the two eggs and combine them with the apple purée and milk. Add the liquid to the breadmaker bucket.</p><p>If your breadmaker has a sweet or enriched bread bake setting, then use it. If not, set the machine to a basic bake and a size appropriate for 400g of flour - more often than not that's a “medium” loaf but machines do vary. Set the crust setting to “light crust” - this is important, since enriched doughs tend to brown very quickly.</p>Phil in the Kitchenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15904292856978631382noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2578151607368747182.post-65052219597767038812022-03-18T21:31:00.001+00:002022-03-18T22:25:44.491+00:00Calf's Liver with Gin, Lime and Apricot Jam<div>This is another step on my nostalgic journey through the past looking for the recipes and types of cooking that I've neglected or forgotten so far in this blog. This time we're back in the 1980s again for a style of British cooking that was based on classic cuisine but was a bit eccentric and purposefully <i>never</i> trendy. It also tended to be upmarket and expensive and so copying it at home was pretty much my only option. This dish is based, rather loosely, on a recipe by the indomitable John Tovey.</div><div><br /></div><div>The combination of liver, gin, lime and jam may sound like an outlandish notion now but back in the 1980s it didn't seem strange at all. There were certainly buckets of gin around back then but, with some noteworthy exceptions, I think they tasted pretty similar to each other. You can't go about your daily business these days without falling over a craft gin or three (and I'm all for that) but I wouldn't choose a modern gin that's too exotic in its flavour here. I thought about using Monkey 47 since it's such a very fine drink but I remembered its price and decided to use the always dependable Bombay Sapphire instead. But any good London dry gin will do.</div><div><br /></div>
<a href="https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-A0PG8D1j7LY/WwyBTBcPw9I/AAAAAAAADSw/s2qxc9nH6PAERvLC6HbB5NavV8a0Kzt4wCHMYCw/s1600-h/Gin-and-Lime-Calfs-Liver-43"><img alt="Calf’s Liver with Gin, Lime and Apricot Jam" border="0" height="484" src="https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-12Oxewwf7DQ/WwyBUNCM4QI/AAAAAAAADS0/tfsrj5Rfdkg0E8J8Bl5IQULSTdV1VEvhACHMYCw/Gin-and-Lime-Calfs-Liver-4_thumb?imgmax=800" style="background-image: none; border-width: 0px; display: block; float: none; margin: 20px auto 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;" title="Calf’s Liver with Gin, Lime and Apricot Jam" width="319" /></a><br />The sauce for this dish is made first and I think that makes the preparation a little bit easier and less time critical. This will serve 2 people, although the amount of liver you use will depend on your appetite and preferences. Typically, a portion of calf's liver will vary between 100 and 150g per person, but that's only a guide.<br />
<br />
Butter for frying (you don't<em> have</em> to use butter but it does make a difference to the flavour)<br />
1 shallot, peeled and finely chopped<br />
The juice of 2 limes and the zest of 1<br />
1 tbsp apricot jam (if your limes are large, then add an extra ½ tbsp of jam)<br />
200 ml beef stock<br />
1 - 2 tsp cornflour (if you want to thicken the sauce)<br />
1½ tbsp gin<br />
½ tsp Dijon mustard<br />
Calf's liver in thinnish slices (about 250g for 2 people, I'd suggest)<br />
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Fry the shallot gently in a little butter without letting it take on any colour (I'm not sure that Mr Tovey would agree with ‘a little’ but times have changed). Once the shallot is soft, stir in the lime juice and zest, the apricot jam and the beef stock. Bring to the boil, turn down the heat and simmer gently for 10 minutes. Strain the sauce through a fine sieve and discard the solids. Return the liquid to the pan. It will probably still be a little thin for a classic sauce and so mix the cornflour with a little water before stirring into the sauce. Cook the sauce gently for 2 -3 more minutes but don't let it boil. Stir in the gin and whisk in the mustard. <br />
<br />
Taste the sauce and adjust the flavours as you see fit. If the taste is too sharp, then whisk in a little extra jam. If it's too sweet, then add a small dash of wine vinegar. If you think it needs a little extra savoury kick, then add a dash of Worcestershire sauce or mushroom ketchup. Keep the sauce warm while you cook the liver. <br />
<br />
Season the calf's liver with salt and pepper. Fry the liver in a little butter until done to your liking. Please don't overcook it, though; I think 2 minutes per side is usually enough unless your slices are particularly thick. Serve immediately with the sauce. <br />
<br />
Some simple green veg goes well with this dish and, personally, I like a little bit of mashed potato as well.<br />Phil in the Kitchenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15904292856978631382noreply@blogger.com8tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2578151607368747182.post-63283766342537556962022-02-22T17:57:00.008+00:002022-02-22T17:57:49.576+00:00Chicken Liver Pâté with Rum, Mango and Pickled Chillies<p>In my nostalgic journey through the past looking for the recipes that I've neglected or forgotten so far in this blog, I've arrived today at the mid to late 1980s. Not surprisingly, I'd come across Caribbean food by then, but only really the best known dishes like jerk chicken and goat curry. Around that time I became aware of a much wider range of flavours and styles in the Caribbean and Fusion restaurants in South London. This included very different recreations of dishes, like chicken liver pâté, that I thought I knew well. </p><p>This dish includes pickled chillies in the topping and I used pickled Havana Gold chillies that I grew last summer. This is a superb chilli to grow in the English climate with a mild, fruity, habanero-like flavour and a good colour. It's at its best grown in a greenhouse but it will also fruit well when grown in pots in a sunny spot. If you use commercial pickled chillies in this recipe, make sure that they're not <i>so</i> hot that they mask the flavour of the mango.</p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh8M0BmRbAbQsHGw6HvOYqjZNHdGe6i9-9_f1zLqtba_d6rppZxb1JIDiI0h2EVkYRMC45FW4Uwtn6TK2JTAzrDqVeARKVMJpjtZrKvX_yy3GwmOxd0bgEqPkSfu-82-QEnlcoGjwprq-Pl/s1500/Havana+Gold+Chillies+2.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="Havana Gold chillies" border="0" data-original-height="1123" data-original-width="1500" height="363" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh8M0BmRbAbQsHGw6HvOYqjZNHdGe6i9-9_f1zLqtba_d6rppZxb1JIDiI0h2EVkYRMC45FW4Uwtn6TK2JTAzrDqVeARKVMJpjtZrKvX_yy3GwmOxd0bgEqPkSfu-82-QEnlcoGjwprq-Pl/w400-h300/Havana+Gold+Chillies+2.jpg" title="Havana Gold chillies" width="485" /></a></div><p>I prefer a lighter style of chicken liver pâté these days and this version is certainly not as heavy and full of fat as the kinds of pâté that I remember eating in the 1980s. It's also really straightforward to make and, if you don't fancy the little Caribbean touch, you can replace the rum with brandy, calvados or just some apple juice. A combination of fresh tarragon and thyme works particularly well in this pâté but you could substitute oregano for the tarragon, if that's what you have.</p><p>The topping provides a fruity and refreshing contrast to the earthier flavours of the pâté. It's not unusual to have a jellied topping with potted meats and pâtés but, for me, they can have a slightly rubbery texture. Of course, the point of those jellies is that they help to preserve the pâté and I'm certainly not claiming that this topping will do that for you. I've used Ultratex in this topping which, strictly speaking, is a thickener rather than a gelling agent and gives a thick but silky finish to the topping. You may need to play around a bit with the ratio of ingredients here to get the result you prefer since the juiciness of the lime, the water content of the mango and even the grade of Ultratex can vary. </p><p>This will serve 4 as a starter or as part of a light lunch. I suggest serving simply with toast and a light salad.</p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgtj2UEqH0QmduhDbB8iPDwF5qA3fWkGnXnm-cJCAWA9Lf3FuAXxJTiFWoB3XA4RVz9EOu9n3T-fx1frC9F3x49Rsqh8YJRGZTh9iUl7GizqTUCs64lC5BECOINmBKglK-M0oSiYRveoUHa/s1500/Chicken+Liver+P%25C3%25A2t%25C3%25A9+3b.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="Chicken Liver Pâté with Rum, Mango and Pickled Chillies" border="0" data-original-height="1126" data-original-width="1500" height="364" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgtj2UEqH0QmduhDbB8iPDwF5qA3fWkGnXnm-cJCAWA9Lf3FuAXxJTiFWoB3XA4RVz9EOu9n3T-fx1frC9F3x49Rsqh8YJRGZTh9iUl7GizqTUCs64lC5BECOINmBKglK-M0oSiYRveoUHa/w400-h300/Chicken+Liver+P%25C3%25A2t%25C3%25A9+3b.jpg" title="Chicken Liver Pâté with Rum, Mango and Pickled Chillies" width="485" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><p><b>For the pâté:</b></p><p>1 large shallot, finely chopped</p><p>1 small apple, peeled, cored and chopped into small pieces</p><p>25g butter </p><p>250g chicken livers, cleaned and trimmed</p><p>3 tbsp dark rum</p><p>1 tbsp redcurrant jelly</p><p>1 tbsp tomato purée</p><p>2 sprigs (or more, if you fancy) tarragon and thyme, leaves removed and roughly chopped </p><p><br /></p><p><b>For the mango topping:</b></p><p>200g ripe mango flesh</p><p>Zest of 1 lime</p><p>Juice of ½ lime</p><p>2 tbsp Ultratex</p><p>2 tsp pickled chilli pieces (vary according to your taste and the strength of the chillies)</p><p><br /></p><p>Gently fry the shallot and apple in the butter until they soften without colouring. Add the chicken livers, increase the heat a little and continue frying, stirring frequently, for 5 or 6 minutes. </p><p>Add the rum, redcurrant jelly, tomato purée and a generous sprinkling of salt and pepper. Continue frying and stirring for a minute or so until everything is well combined. Stir in the herbs and remove from the heat.</p><p>Add the mixture to a blender and whiz until smooth (you may need to scrape the mixture down once or twice). Divide the mixture between 4 ramekins and chill while you make the mango topping.</p><p>To make the mango topping, clean out the blender and simply add all the ingredients before whizzing to create a smooth, thickened purée. Spread the purée over the top of the pâté and return to the fridge to chill. You could decorate with one or more slices of pickled chilli if you fancy. </p><p> </p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjaXLH_t3447IBa7Xm9j5GKORDpxPxkOkl1vYW1KEqnHKDS97b2HUMkBqlZ6xPuoFPwLbhrYMGxoiGPwyePTKmUNPtYOLB4xdMnnUdFdGtGEzsiYQNEK6Fd8xlujKhG6KBmGOtjV9qsGrea/s1500/Havana+Gold+Jar+2.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="Pickled Havana Gold" border="0" data-original-height="1369" data-original-width="1500" height="443" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjaXLH_t3447IBa7Xm9j5GKORDpxPxkOkl1vYW1KEqnHKDS97b2HUMkBqlZ6xPuoFPwLbhrYMGxoiGPwyePTKmUNPtYOLB4xdMnnUdFdGtGEzsiYQNEK6Fd8xlujKhG6KBmGOtjV9qsGrea/w400-h365/Havana+Gold+Jar+2.jpg" title="Pickled Havana Gold" width="485" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div>Phil in the Kitchenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15904292856978631382noreply@blogger.com2