Spain - under my skin

Spain has a way of getting under my skin, it's a country I can't get out of my head once back home. We've just returned from a dream two weeks. Rediscovering Barcelona and Port Andratx on Mallorca and getting to know Valencia and doing the tapas trail in Logrono. As always - not enough time but enough to feel enthusiastic to recreate and evoke the tastes and flavours in my own kitchen here in France. Some of the most remarkable food was the simplest. Isn't it always? My favourite from this trip: sepia (cuttlefish) on the plancha. I'm hooked. In Valencia black paella was new for me as was suckling lamb done in a wood fired oven in Logrono. Absolutely no complaints.

Trouble is getting the ingredients. Here in south west France the local (fantastic) produce is very regional so finding 'proper' Spanish ingredients comes as a challenge. However, I've made a start with a well known dish from where in Spain it comes I'm not sure but it's a safe bet for me. Black pudding is easy to find here and very delicious it is from the town of Vic-en-Bigorre at our local Saturday market.  Black pudding is not everyone's cup of tea but if you have the chance to taste a really good one you'll soon be converted.  The best black pudding I have ever had comes from Burgos in Spain and includes rice and for my money nothing else touches it.

This is not really a recipe as such it's just a case of putting all these splendid ingredients together. I doubt scallops are traditional in Spain but I've married them here with the morcilla (black pudding) as a flavour experiment. The texture of the scallops and the creaminess of the black pudding feel right in the mouth heightened by the succulent beans and the fresh, tangy mint.  It feels good. Essential ingredient next is the sea salt.

I first made this dish about thirty years ago. Spurred on by the loveable English cook, Keith Floyd, whose love of Spain matched my own and whose love of slapping up great simple ingredients with a glass of wine in his hand and a great amount of gusto enthused us all. He made us feel happy, not just about his cooking but about life and living and sharing. I can't quite remember off the top of my head how he made his broad bean dish but ever since then I've been putting together one version or another. The following is how I made it last night. Next time might be different. I might add some jamon Serrano and a splash of white wine or not as the case may be.

Serves: 2 as a main course

1 x 500g small black pudding, sliced into even 2cm slices
500g frozen broad beans
2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
1 medium sweet white onion, finely sliced
6 scallops with or without coral
Sea salt and ground black pepper
Handful of fresh mint leaves

Method:

Transfer the frozen broad beans to a bowl and pour over enough boiling water to cover. Leave for a few minutes to cool then pod each bean of its tough outer shell. Discard the shells and set the podded beans aside.

In a medium sized frying pan heat the oil and sear the scallops for two to three minutes on each side until they are cooked through and lightly browned. Remove and keep warm.

Add the onion to the pan and gently cook until soft and translucent. Remove and keep warm.

Add the black pudding to the pan and cook until it is cooked through - about two to three minutes on each side.

Return the onion to the pan with the black pudding and add the beans. Cook a further few minutes, gently turning the ingredients around to mix together but without breaking up the delicate slices of meat.

Place the scallops on top, scatter over the mint and liberally sprinkle with sea salt and ground black pepper. An extra splash of extra virgin olive oil will help loosen the ingredients and given an extra sheen. Serve immediately.

Wellington's beef

Beef Wellington is a simple dish to make but there are cooks out there who just won't attempt it. I suppose it's the thought of ruining a whole fillet of beef in just one go. The expense of it AND not just the beef but the dinner too – there's the chance the whole evening could go down the gurgler.

But, for those who dare, the following method is pretty much a foolproof way to successfully cook and present one of the world's classiest and classic dishes.

Take your whole fillet and trim it of any excess fat and any white sinewy pieces. If there's a skinny piece at one end cut it off and save it for another day. The beef fillet should be of even thickness throughout.

Heat a couple of tablespoons of olive oil in a pan and sear the beef all over. This means all sides and both ends. Do this quickly then remove the beef onto a plate. Paint the top and sides with mustard of your choice and place in the refrigerator to cool.

Now comes the decision of what you would like to include in the pastry along with the meat. You could use a smooth paté and some sliced mushrooms or one or the other. Some spinach would be good for colour, too. If you choose to include mushrooms whizz about 500gm of them up in a food processor then sweat them in a pan with no oil until the water evaporates.

Lay a large piece of cling film on the bench and gather the chosen ingredients around you .

Lay as many slices of prosciutto on top of the cling film, short ends facing you, so they will cover the entire length of the fillet.

Spread, alternating layers of paté/or/and mushrooms and fresh spinach leaves all over the prosciutto.

Lay the whole fillet on top and roll up with the aid of the cling film.

Twist the ends of the cling film, torchon style, as tight as you can and put it in the fridge for 1 hour or over night.

Remove the fillet from the fridge.

Lay a piece of cling film on the bench. Lay a sheet of puff pastry on top of the cling film large enough to enclose the whole fillet or if necessary join two/four sheets of pastry together so it is big enough. Lay the unravelled fillet on top of the pastry. Roll the fillet up in the pastry as tightly as possible, torchon style, using the cling film as an aid and place in the refrigerator for at least one hour.

Place a piece of greased baking paper on a flat oven tray. Unravel the fillet from the cling film, lay it on the papered tray and make some attractive decorations on the top with a sharp knife (optional).

Brush the fillet with egg wash and sprinkle a little sea salt on top.

Cook on 190C for 35 mins or until the pastry is brown

Rest the cooked fillet for 10 – 15 mins. Slice and serve.

fillet steak Rossini

Fillet steak Rossini style was purported to be invented by the great French chef Auguste Escoffier for the Italian composer, Gioachino Rossini in the 1800s. This dish comprised; tournedos of beef fillet cooked in melted butter, topped with foie gras and garnished with black truffles. The meat was served on a warm crouton and accompanied by Madeira demi-glace sauce and scatterings of finely chopped chervil. One can only imagine the taste and flavour imparted by these heavenly ingredients.

So, what's the Italian version for this very same man? Well, it has to include three other great Italians: prosciutto, parmesan and marsala.

There is one essential trick in getting this recipe right. It's making sure the steak is tied together firmly and evenly and time allowed for the 'setting' stage in the refrigerator for thirty minutes plus before cutting and cooking.

The other obvious change is fillet steak Rossini in Italy is stuffed while the French version is topped.

Ingredients to serve 4:

1x 800g eye fillet

2 x 200g packets of prosciutto

500g fresh parmesan cheese, cubed or very roughly chopped

2 tablespoons olive oil

2 tablespoons butter

string or stretchy gauze

4 tablespoons brandy

4 tablespoons Marsala

150ml beef stock

150ml cream

salt and ground black pepper to taste

Chervil to garnish

Go-Between or baking paper for rolling steak

Method:

Slice the fillet lengthways down the centre but do not cut all the way though. Bend the meat out and lay it between two pieces of Go-Between or baking paper.

Using a meat hammer or heavy rolling pin or wine bottle to flatten out the meat so it is all the same thickness.

Line the whole, flattened fillet with prosciutto, line again with chopped parmesan and another layer of prosciutto. Season.

Carefully roll the fillet and secure tightly with string at 4 – 6 intervals. I used stretchy gauze my butcher gave me simply because it's a safer bet to hold the roll together (see photo). But I do have reservations about using gauze; it marks the finished meat and is almost impossible to remove before serving. If you can use string successfully you will get a better visual result.

Wrap the rolled, tied meat in cling film and place in the fridge to 'set' for at least thirty minutes. This firms up the meat and helps to keep the stuffing intact. Remove the meat from the fridge, remove the cling film and cut it into four steaks. Try to cut the steaks so each piece of string is centred in each steak.

Heat the butter and oil on a moderate heat in a medium size frying pan and cook the steaks to your liking. The length of time depends on how thick you have cut your steaks and how you like them cooked. Personally I prefer steak medium rare, this will give enough time for the parmesan to soften and melt and the prosciutto will be warmed through. When the steak is ready flash with the brandy and set alight. After the flames die down remove the steaks to rest and keep them warm. Remove the string.

Turn the heat up on the pan and add the Marsala, cook out the alcohol, scrapping up the residue in the process and reduce to a scant amount. Add the beef stock and cook for ten minutes or until reduced by half. Add the cream, cook a little longer on a low heat. Strain the sauce, check seasoning.

Pour a little sauce into a circle on each plate and place the steaks on top. Scatter over the chervil and serve immediately.

Note 1: Go-Between is made of food-safe polyethylene and is pre-cut for freezing, it separates individual freezer portions but also makes an ideal non-stick rolling aid for pastry or meat. Use two sheets of baking paper if Go-Between is unavailable.

Note 2: I use 1-2 tablespoons of the product; Bowles Veal Glace which I add to this sauce before the cream stage. This product is sensational and gives a wonderful sheen and flavour to any brown sauce when you don't have the time to make your own demi-glace.

Fillet steak Rossini printer friendly version, click here:

https://sites.google.com/site/foodvineprintablerecipes/home/fillet-steak-rossini

monkfish brochettes

Although referred to as poor man’s lobster monkfish still comes at a price! It also comes as a bit of a mystery! In the southern hemisphere, monkfish it called anglerfish and although this variety looks identical to that of the northern hemisphere, the cooked texture is quite different. Monkfish, northern hemisphere variety, makes very good brochettes. The flesh is very firm and remains that way during the cooking process while anglerfish starts out well but goes sluggish towards the end. I am yet to find out why!

The preparation and cooking of this beautiful firm fish is so easy. 

Purchase fillets of monkfish, but because it is a firm fish with no waste, a little goes a long way. One small fish minus its very large head adequately serves two people.

Soak small skewers in cold water for at least an hour before use. Thread them with cubed monkfish and young, fresh bay leaves and marinate the skewers in extra virgin olive oil, sliced garlic, sea salt and ground white pepper for two hours. Cook them on a very hot plancha for a few minutes on each side until the flesh becomes opaque, brown and slightly crisp – about five or six minutes all up. Squeeze fresh lemon juice over the top and serve.

If you would prefer a sauce with your brochettes cook them on high heat in a frying pan in a tablespoon each of butter and oil. Remove the brochettes once cooked and deglaze the pan with a little white wine, let the alcohol burn off then add a squeeze of lemon juice, some chopped parsley, sea salt and freshly ground white pepper.

I cook them the first way and drink the white wine on the side. Simple food simply cooked, simply delicious!

Monkfish brochettes printer friendly recipe, click here:

https://sites.google.com/site/foodvineprintablerecipes/home/monkfish-brochettes

guinea fowl with brie and apple stuffing

Guinea fowl is as versatile as chicken but with a true gamey flavour and makes a delicious though slightly more expensive alternative. The following recipe, if served cold, extends the yield thus giving better value for money. I love guinea fowl in any shape or form but this dish is particularly tasty with the combination of brie and apple. Both are very noticeable in the finished dish and compliment the gamey flavour beautifully.

Oven: 180C

Serves 4 hot, 8 cold

1 x 2kg guinea fowl

Bone the bird completely without tearing or breaking the flesh. Marinate the boned bird for 24 hours in the following mixture:

8 crushed juniper berries,

4 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil

handful of thyme leaves, no sprigs

sea salt to season

black pepper, ground

Marinate for 24 hours.

For the stuffing:

500g pork and veal mincemeat

2 tablespoons olive oil

1 small onion, chopped

1 apple, chopped

1 egg

200g fresh brie, cut into cubes

4 slices of crustless white bread, whizzed into crumbs

3 tablespoons port or brandy

3 tablespoons milk

Salt and pepper to season

3 tablespoons parsley, chopped

Gently soften the onion in the oil for a few minutes then add the meat and brown well, add the apple and mix through. Add the breadcrumbs, egg, brie, port, milkm salt, pepper and parsley. Cook for 1-2 minutes.

Remove the bird from the marinade and lay it flat out on the bench. Smooth the stuffing all over the bird and tie it up into a roll with kitchen twine. Wrap the bird well in greased foil, place it in a roasting pan and roast for 1 hour. Remove foil and return the pan to the oven to continue cooking until the skin browns, about 15 minutes. Remove the bird from the oven and rest for 15 minutes. Remove the twine and serve, otherwise cool and refrigerate. The yield will be far greater and slicing much easier if you serve the guinea fowl the next day.

guinea fowl with brie and apple printer friendly recipe, click following link:

https://sites.google.com/site/foodvineprintablerecipes/home/guinea-fowl-with-brie-and-apple

ling en papillote

The French term en papillote refers to food baked inside a wrapping of greased parchment paper. The food item plus flavouring ingredients is tightly enclosed so the steam cannot escape. When heated the food steams in its own moisture. All the juices, flavours and aromas are held inside the paper. As the food bakes and lets off steam, the parchment puffs up into a dome shape. It’s fun to create a little drama at the table when the paper is split and peeled back to reveal the food.

I remember the many dramas played out in Leonardo’s Italian restaurant in the Kings Road, London, when they served their signature dish, pasta in a paper bag. There was always a great flurry of excitement when the parcel arrived, held high, with much shouting and laughing. Then a hushed silence filled the room, the moment of trepidation the instant before opening and then a bang as the steam exploded followed by loud boisterous cheering and clapping. Such fun!

Fish works well in paper and I can tell you how to go about all of that, no worries but as to how Leonardo cooked his pasta inside that bag is a complete mystery to me!

For each piece of fish tear off a very large piece of baking (parchment) paper and fold in half. Cut out a heart shape (see photo below). Grease the cut hearts with a little oil. Lay the paper hearts, greased side down, on the work surface.

Hot oven: 230C - fan forced 200C

Ingredients:

4 x 200g ling fillets or any firm, white, boneless fish

1 small red pepper, julienned

1 small yellow pepper, julienned

1 small green pepper, julienned

1 small carrot, julienned

1 large thumb fresh ginger, julienned

2 whole, peeled garlic cloves, sliced

4 spring onions, julienned

1 small leek, julienned

1 lemongrass stalk, white part only, smashed then finely sliced

1 large red chili, deseeded, julienned

4 coriander roots, scraped and sliced

1 lemon slice, squeezed

dash dry white wine

dash fish stock

(50g butter to monter – diced, cold from the fridge - optional)

Sea Salt, to taste

White pepper, to taste

  

Method:

Mix all the above ingredients together. You might find there are too many vegetables so use discretion – a little looks better than a lot. Use the leftovers for something else.

  

1. Place the fish fillets on one side of each heart. Add the topping and seasoning.
2. Fold over the other half of the heart. Starting at the top of the fold, make a small crimp in the edges (like making a Cornish pasty).
3. Continue crimping around the edge. Each crimp holds the previous one in place.
4. Just before the end pour in a dash of white wine and a dash of fish stock.
5. Crimp the last bit and fold the point under to hold it in place. The papillotes are now ready for cooking.
6. Place the folded parcels in a large sauté pan (hob to oven). Set the pan on a medium heat and as soon as the paper begins to puff out, place them in the oven. Bake until completely puffed and browned, about 12-15 minutes.
7. Serve immediately at the table in front of each guest.

The parcels contain the moisture released from the fish, wine, stock, lemon juice etc… and this is okay to serve as is but you might like to turn this liquid into a proper sauce. In which case, very carefully open each parcel and pour off the contents into a small saucepan. Bring the liquid up to boil point and whisk in the diced, cold butter piece by piece until you have a glossy, thickened sauce. This procedure to finish a sauce is known as: monter au beurre. Carefully pour the sauce back into the parcels (down the sides of the fish, not over the top) and re-close the openings. Or serve the sauce on the side.

ling en papillote printable version, click here:

https://sites.google.com/site/foodvineprintablerecipes/home/ling-en-papillote

kangaroo, kumara & macadamia galettes with wild pepper berry sauce

Coming up with something out of the ordinary for Australia Day on 26th January is no simple matter. Although sweet potato is readily available worldwide, I always think of it as very much an Australian vegetable, where a roast dinner would not be the same without it. Kangaroo, native pepper berries and Macadamia nuts on the other hand are most definitely Australian and the combination of all four make this dish a truly Australian meal and certainly one not in the least bit ordinary!

Kumara is a variety of sweet potato and native pepper berries grow wild along the eastern coastline and in Tasmania. Substitute green peppercorns for these if necessary. Pine nuts can replace Macadamias. Exported kangaroo meat is available in some countries otherwise use venison.

Oven to 220˚C

Ingredients:

1 x 250g Kumara (sweet potato)

½ red onion, finely sliced

1 egg

25g plain flour

1 tablespoons parsley, finely chopped

1 tablespoons mint, finely chopped

Pinch nutmeg

100g macadamia nuts, roughly chopped and lightly toasted

Salt and pepper to taste

2-3 (550g) kangaroo fillets marinated in 20ml olive oil (for one hour before cooking)

Method:

Peel and grate the kumara into a large bowl and mix in the other ingredients.

Grease six egg rings with olive oil, place them on an oiled griddle or in a lightly greased frying pan and fill each one with the kumara mixture.  Cook on a moderate heat until the mixture in each ring is set, carefully remove the rings and turn the galettes over. Turn again if necessary or until they are nicely browned and cooked through.

Serves: makes 6 galettes

Kangaroo is lean and must be cooked very quickly on a high heat, then rested for the same amount of time it was cooked.

Heat a heavy based pan on high to smoking point, sear the kangaroo fillets for 65 seconds first side then 75 seconds second side. Reduce the oven to 200ºC; place the seared fillets in the oven for five minutes. Transfer to a clean, hot plate and keep warm.

The Sauce (use the same pan, unwashed)

1-tablespoon pepper berries drained, rinsed and dried

Splash of sherry

50ml cream

100ml veal stock

Method:

Heat the pan, add the berries and heat them through for a minute or two, tossing them in the process so they do not burn. Add the sherry and set it alight. When the flames subside, add the stock and simmer until reduced by half and slightly thickened. Add the cream and keep the sauce warm.

Slice the kangaroo fillets on an angle. Place a spoonful of sauce on each place; place a galette in the centre of each pool of sauce. Place two or three slices of kangaroo on top of each galette. Garnish with a little parsley.

Adapted from a Cordon Bleu recipe.

seared kangaroo on kumara and macadamia galettes with wild pepper berry sauce 

https://sites.google.com/site/foodvineprintablerecipes/home/seared-kangaroo-on-kumara-macadamia-galettes-with-wild-pepper-berry-sauce

Quail Italian style

My inspiration for this dish came from the Bondi Trattoria at Bondi Beach in Sydney. Their quail, legs and breast, came served on a bed of potatoes, pancetta, olives and celeriac. To this lovely combination, I added preserved lemon, diced courgette and garlic for a bit more pep. I served quail breast only, more for convenience as they come pre-packed and boning is a pain if you are in a hurry. This dish is bursting with flavour, it is a true feast, and is by far my dish of the year. Omit the quail if it is not to your fancy and try something different on top or just serve the vegetables alone.

Ingredients (Serves 2)

10 quail breasts or 2 boned quail cut into four pieces

4 kipfler or waxy potatoes, steamed and diced

½ celeriac, steamed and diced

6 thick slices Pancetta cut into batons

Handful black pitted olives

1 courgette (zucchini), finely diced

1 garlic clove, finely chopped

1 preserved lemon, finely chopped

2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil

1 tablespoon unsalted butter

Cracked black pepper

Parsley, finely chopped

Method:

Steam the potatoes and the celeriac. I use a Chinese steamer stack and check their progress regularly making sure not to over steam them. They should be cooked but firm. Remove and cool completely. Dice and set aside.

Melt the butter and oil in a large frying pan over medium heat and fry the quail on both sides for only a few minutes and it is still pink in the middle. Transfer to a warm place.

Add the garlic to the pan and gently cook for minute or two. Add the diced courgette, the olives and the pancetta. Cook until the pancetta is crispy and courgettes are crunchy. Add the potatoes and the celeriac, gently turn them through the mixture until they warm through, add the lemon and black pepper.

Transfer to a plate, put the quail on top and add a little chopped parsley for extra colour.

Quail Italian style printable recipe, click here:

https://sites.google.com/site/foodvineprintablerecipes/home/quail-italian-style

Magret with a duxelles farce

I like to stuff duck breast (magret) even though it is a moist meat with many layers of fat. The inclusion of stuffing just adds to the succulence and even more so when the stuffing is a mushroom, eschallot and herb duxelles.  Technically the duxelles mixture should be moisture free but I think it works better here if the mixture is a tiny bit moist.

To make a pocket in the duck breast: lay the breast fat side down on a board on a non-slip surface. Place one hand in the centre of the breast to ensure full control, take a very sharp knife in the other and make an incision at the fattest end of the breast. Using your steady hand as a guide, to feel the point of the knife inside the breast, carefully work the knife through the meat by edging it into the corners until you have achieved a large cavity. Care is required not to pierce the fat or flesh. Remove the knife. Turn the breast over and score the fat very lightly. It is most important not to score too deeply. The breast is now ready for stuffing and salting. Cover and refrigerate until required.

Duxelles – for two thick duck breasts

500g mushrooms, wiped clean

2 tablespoons butter

2 tablespoons finely chopped eschallot

2 tablespoons finely chopped flat leaf parsley

Salt and ground black pepper to taste

100ml dry white wine

Whiz the mushrooms in a food processor. Turn out onto a clean cloth or paper towels and ring the moisture out. Place the mushrooms, butter and eschallots in a small saucepan and cook until the eschallots are soft. Add the wine and continue cooking until the liquid has completely reduced. Add the chopped parsley and season with salt and pepper.

I have just given you the method for preparing traditional duxelles but I tend not to be too particular about the mixture being very dry. As I said, I think it works better if the mixture is still a little moist. Cool the duxelles and fill each duck breasts cavity. Lightly salt the fat side of each breast with sea salt.

Cook the breasts as follows: 

The breasts are delicious served rare. Set your fire early and burn the charcoal down to the glowing red ember stage. Place the breasts fat side down and slowly cook melting the thick fat during the process but be prepared for flare-ups. Once the fat is reduced, turn each breast over and cook for another four or so minutes. Remove the breasts from the heat, cover to keep warm and rest for five to ten minutes. Slice across each breast into thick slices and serve. 

Breast served this way do not need a sauce.

Click this link for a printer friendly version of this recipe:

 https://sites.google.com/site/foodvineprintablerecipes/home/magret-with-duxelles-stuffing

hearts in the South West

Magret (duck breasts) and coeurs de canard (duck hearts) barbequed - what could be better? No marinating, no fuss, just a sprinkling of salt on the breasts and a few fresh bay leaves between the hearts and away you go. Traditionally we serve these cuts with peas, into which we put many slithers of garlic and plenty of ground allspice. Alongside them a glistening plate of peeled potatoes sliced on a mandolin, brushed with melted butter and baked at 180C for one hour. The potatoes benefit from a sprinkling of finely minced garlic and parsley just before serving and most important of all is the orange flavoured sauce, a necessary and delicious accompaniment to anything 'duck'.

I prefer my sauce in this case to have a thin consistency so I simmer it for only about twenty to thirty minutes. Cook it for longer if you prefer it thick.

Ingredients for the sauce:

1 large brown onion, finely chopped

2 tablespoons grape seed oil

100ml raspberry vinegar

1x370gm Gelée Bonne Maman Cassis jam

1 orange, juice only

100ml port

Method:

Gently cook the onion in the oil under it has softened and becomes opaque. Add the raspberry vinegar and cook until the liquid reduces to almost nothing. Add the jam, the orange juice and the port. Simmer for 30 minutes or until the mixture is thick and reduced to half its original volume. Set aside to cool. Pass the sauce through a fine sieve then transfer it to a small serving bowl and keep warm. The sauce will keep refrigerated for one week.

To cook the meat: Score the thick fat on each breast and rub in a little salt. Thread the duck hearts and fresh bay leaves onto long skewers and rub each one with a little oil.

Both the breasts and hearts are delicious served rare. Set your fire early and burn the charcoal down to the glowing red ember stage. Place the breasts fat side down and slowly cook melting the thick fat during the process but be prepared for flare-ups. We have a barbeque plate especially designed for cooking magret, it is fluted so the fat runs into a central point with an external lip designed to collect the drips in a separate container. Once the fat is reduced, turn each breast over and cook for another four or so minutes. Remove the breasts from the heat, cover to keep warm and rest for five to ten minutes. The duck hearts take about five minutes to cook on each side and must rest before serving.

An alternative way to cook the duck breasts if you are concerned about hot dripping fat is to cook them in a dry frying pan on the cooker until all the fat has melted then finish them off on the BBQ for a few minutes on each side to get that nice BBQ flavour.

clink link for printer friendly page:
https://sites.google.com/site/foodvineprintablerecipes/home/hearts-in-the-south-west

Prawns with Lemongrass & Palm Sugar

This is one of those stand-by recipes to have up your sleeve. I always keep a bag of green prawns in the freezer for those ‘just in case’ days and then find myself making this again, quite often. The lemongrass and Thai basil give a fresh clean taste but the palm sugar is the magic ingredient. I ring the changes with cous cous, pasta or noodles to bulk it up, depending what’s in the pantry, they all go well with the other ingredients.

Serves: 4

Ingredients:

500g shelled, butterflied green prawns
3-4 tablespoons vegetable oil
2 tablespoons of ginger, finely chopped
1-tablespoon lemon grass, white part only, finely chopped
1 large brown onion, finely chopped
2 garlic cloves, finely chopped

1 fresh red chilli, deseeded, finely sliced

2 kaffir lime leaves, chiffonade
2 tablespoons fish sauce
2 tablespoons palm sugar
1-tablespoon water
3 handfuls Thai Basil, torn
Fettuccine or noodles or cous cous

Method:

Pre-cook enough fettucine/noodles/cous cous for four people depending on the brand instructions. Drain and set aside.

Heat your wok to high beforehand then add the oil and allow it to come to temperature then add the onion, garlic, chilli, lime leaves, ginger and lemongrass. Stir continuously for 2-3 minutes. Add the prawns and turn until they change colour and become opaque – one or two minutes. Add the fish sauce, palm sugar and water. Cook for another minute or so then turn off the heat. Add the cooked noodles and gently turn through Add torn basil just before serving.

Squid Rolls

Everyone loves squid whether it’s stuffed, pan-fried, baked, grilled, stir-fried with salt and pepper or coated in batter and deep-fried as calamari. The Japanese use it raw in sushi, the Spanish use the ink as a flavouring, the Italians use the ink to colour pasta and it’s hugely popular in Asian cooking. Squid is rich in protein and phosphorus so not only tastes good is good. Choose small squid for sweetness with clear eyes and an ocean-like fragrance. Cook it quickly otherwise the texture becomes rubbery when overcooked. It’s one of those things people seem to be nervous about, like a lot of fish cookery - if this applies to you just remember you’re cooking it, it’s not cooking you!

Serves: 4

Ingredients:

8 medium sized squid
175ml extra virgin olive oil
2-3 tablespoons dry white wine
1 lemongrass stork, white part only, chopped
2 cloves garlic, finely chopped
2 kaffir lime leaves - chiffonaded
1 handful coriander, chopped
1 handful continental parsley, chopped
1 lime, zest and juice
Salt and cracked black pepper to taste
1 dried chilli, chopped

Method:

Clean the squid: discarding gut, tentacles and internal plastic-like membrane. Skin them and split each one down the side with a sharp knife then open them out so they lie flat. Make three or four incisions diagonally across the flesh. Place the squid in a dish large enough to hold them all, they can overlap each other. Pour over the rest of the ingredients and leave for several hours.

Remove and drain well from the marinade and cook quickly on a piping hot grill or ridged pan for 3-4 minutes each side. Serve immediately.

To chiffonade click here

Chicken Roll with Boursin & Prosciutto

This is a dish, once you get the hang of making, you will want to repeat again and again not just for a dinner party but also for lunch or even a picnic. Anything that can be prepared the day before or even a few hours ahead suits me - I like to be as stress free as possible when it comes to entertaining. This is my adaptation of a Belinda Jeffery recipe and is open to variation. Just use your imagination and take your lead from colours. Red peppers would look stunning and the cheese could be Blue or White Costello or something similar as long as it is creamy and spreads easily.

Ingredients:

4 medium size chicken breasts
5 long slices per breast (approx 500g) prosciutto
2 x 150g baby spinach leaves, washed, dried and destorked
150g Boursin cheese or another creamy variety

Method:

1. Tear off eight sheets of baking paper, about two thirds bigger than the chicken breasts and place one chicken breast between two sheets of paper.
2. Using a mallet, kitchen hammer or in our case a bottle of wine, flatten out each breast to about 4mm with the aim of an overall even thickness.
3. Remove the top piece of paper and discard. Smooth the cheese onto each breast - dividing it equally between the four.
4. Place a single layer of spinach leaves on top of the cheese.
5. With the aid of the paper roll up the chicken lengthwise. Put to one side.
6. Tear off four more pieces of baking paper and four pieces of foil all the same size as each other and all the same size as in number 1. above. Put the paper on top of the foil.
7. Place 5 slices of procuitto, butting each one up to the other, on each piece of paper. Short end in front of you.
8. Spread another layer of spinach on top of the prosciutto.
9. Put the rolled chicken at the bottom of the proscuitto, nearest to you and again, using the paper and foil as an aid, roll up and twist the ends like making a bon bon (cracker). Place the rolls in the fridge for at least sixty minutes before cooking.

Preheat oven to 180˚C. Place chicken rolls in a shallow dish and bake for 40 minutes. Remove from the oven and rest 15-20 minutes. Carefully unroll each one and slice into rounds. Three breasts serve four people quite easily but I always make four so we have cold leftovers!

Kedgeree

I love and regularly make Kedgeree. Essentially English though originating in India it has become a universal dish claimed by all. Try adding the poaching liquid from the cooked fish at the end of the cooking process, this gives an otherwise often dry dish a lovely moist result and enhances the flavour.

Serves: 4

Ingredients:

500g smoked haddock fillets
5 tablespoons milk
2 bay leaves
1 lemon, finely sliced
30g butter
1 small onion, finely chopped
1 cup (250g) cooked brown rice
4 eggs, not too hard-boiled, sliced into quarters
1 tablespoon chopped parsley to garnish

Method:

Wash the fish fillets, pat dry and poach gently in milk with lemon slices and bay leaves until just cooked – about ten minutes. Remove the fillets from the liquid and set aside to cool. Remove the skin and bones and flake. Reserve the poaching liquid including the lemon and bay leaves.

Heat the butter in a large pan and gently fry the onion until soft and pale. Add the cooked rice to the pan and mix through with the onion. Add the flaked fish and carefully mix through. Add the poaching liquid and reheat for about 2 minutes or until excess liquid has evaporated. Serve garnished with egg and parsley.

* Evoke the flavour of India: prepare and cook as above but substitute basmati rice for brown, add two teaspoons curry powder, 2-3 cloves, a little ginger and perhaps a few cardamom pods.

Chicken Chivry

This is an adaptation of a Cordon Bleu recipe and is a bit complicated. Have ready the buttered oven dish and the two papers, make the mousseline early if you like but IT MUST BE KEPT IN THE FRIDGE. Think it out before you start and do not worry if you do not have a thermometer – carefully test the heat with your finger – if you can stand the heat, it's ready. Buying pre-peeled pistachios saves preparing your own and remember beurre manié must be in exact equal parts. This dish is worth the trouble and you will be very proud of yourself.

Serves: 4

3 large chicken breasts with tenderloins intact
1 egg white
200ml cold cream
Salt
White pepper
Pinch nutmeg
50g pistachio nuts, peeled and finely chopped
250ml chicken stock
4 tablespoons Verjuice or dry white wine
4 tablespoons cream
Beurre manié = 1 tablespoon butter mixed with 1 tablespoon plain flour
1 tablespoon French tarragon, finely chopped

Method:

Remove the tenderloins from the chicken and roughly chop them. To make the mousseline place tenderloins, egg white, cream, salt, pepper and nutmeg in a food processor. Process on high for one minute until smooth. Stir in the pistachio nuts. Place mixture in the refrigerator until required.

Cut a pocket in each chicken breast as indicated in the above photograph. The initial cut must be no wider than the width of the blade. Use one hand as a guide and gently cut the pocket in the breast with the other – feeling your way very carefully so as not to make a hole. Fill a piping bag with the mousseline mixture. Pipe the filling into each breast. Butter an ovenproof vessel large enough to hold the chicken breasts, snugly. Pour the chicken stock over the breasts, cover with buttered paper and a lid or a piece of foil. Cook in a hot oven 200C for 35-40 minutes. Remove the breasts from the stock and keep warm.

In a small saucepan place the wine, 150ml chicken stock from the cooked chicken, 4 tablespoons cream and bring almost to the boil, simmer until slightly reduced, remove from the heat. Using a thermometer – when the temperature drops to 55C gradually add beurre manié in small balls – whisk in thoroughly. The sauce must not be so hot that the butter melts too quickly or too cold that it does not melt at all. Place the saucepan back on the heat and gently reheat until the mixture thickens. Do not let it boil. Remove from the heat and add the tarragon. Now, have a very strong drink – not only will you need a drink but you also truly deserve one!

To serve: slice the chicken breasts and serve with the finished sauce

Note: three chicken breasts will adequately serve four people

Escabeche

Make Escabeche with any firm fish or shellfish. Swordfish, marlin, tuna, trout, sardines, anchovies and mussels are all ideal. This is a sensational dish worthy of top billing in your culinary répertoire. The very thought of Escabeche has me licking my lips and dreaming of the San Sebastian restaurant, at the old port behind the Parte Vieja, in the town that bears its name. Go there, eat Escabeche and eat fish because, and my friend Phil would agree, that’s what you do when you’re beside the sea!

Serves: 4

Ingredients:

4 Swordfish steaks
200ml olive oil
4 tablespoons any good-quality vinegar, (I use white Balsamic)
½ lemon, juice only
1 carrot, finely diced
½ Spanish red onion, sliced wafer thin
4 cloves garlic, crushed with salt
2 bay leaves
2 teaspoons coriander seeds, crushed
1-teaspoon cumin seeds
1-2 star anise
12 white peppercorns
Pinch saffron
3 tablespoons dry white wine
Salt, to taste
2 tablespoons fresh parsley, finely chopped

Method:

Place in a medium sized saucepan: the oil, vinegar, lemon juice, carrot, onion, garlic, bay leaves, saffron, coriander, cumin, star anise and peppercorns. Bring the pan to a simmer and cook for about 5 minutes on a low heat. Remove from the heat and set aside.

Season the swordfish and sear quickly on both sides in a non-stick frying pan with a little olive oil. Do not over-cook the fish; it must remain raw in the middle. Remove the fish and set aside to cool. Reheat the pan, deglaze with the white wine and add the pickling juices. Stir briefly to amalgamate then remove from the heat and set aside to cool.

Slice each piece of fish into four and place in a deep dish. Pour over the cooled pickling juice, season with salt to taste, cover the dish with cling film and place in the refrigerator for at least two hours or overnight. Add parsley just before serving.

Warm boiled potatoes, a green undressed salad and lots of crusty bread compliment this dish beautifully.

click this link for a printer friendly version of this recipe:
https://sites.google.com/site/foodvineprintablerecipes/home/escabeche

Rabbit with Prunes and Armagnac

Pau in South West France is a city we love to visit - it's close to where we live, small enough to see in a few hours, the shops are chic, places to eat and drink plentiful and the view of the nearby Pyrenees is breathtaking. On a recent visit we tried the lovely Basque treasure, Le Goxoki. It is an elegant, upmarket, bistro style restaurant with clean green decor. We were excited to be trying somewhere new and held our breath in anticipation of the food to come. We were not disappointed! The following dish was the plat du jour minus the Armagnac! This is my version:-

Preheat oven to 180C Serves: 4

Ingredients:

4 rabbit hind legs, boned - (substitute chicken thighs if necessary)
12 prunes, pitted
flour to dust
1 tablespoon butter
1 tablespoon grapeseed oil
150ml double cream
150ml Armagnac
Salt & pepper
Parsley to garnish

Method:

Soak prunes overnight in Armagnac. Drain prunes and reserve Armagnac.

Use a medium sized hob to oven pan so precious flavours are not lost in the otherwise transfer.

Bone each rabbit leg, stuff with drained prunes, tie up with cooking string and perhaps use some toothpicks to help keep the prunes intact. The boned, stuffed rabbit should resemble small parcels. Lightly dust with seasoned flour. Melt butter and oil carefully, do not allow the fats to burn. Gently brown rabbit parcels on all sides until golden and place in the oven for 40 minutes. Remove the rabbit to another plate and keep warm and return the pan to the hob. Reheat pan but do not degrease it (there will not be very much fat left). Deglaze the pan with the reserved Armagnac then add the cream. Gently bring to the boil and reduce to a thick consistency. Return rabbit to the pan for a few minutes and turn so it is well coated with sauce.

To Serve: Remove the rabbit from the pan with a slotted spoon, strain the sauce and spoon it over the rabbit. Garnish with parlsey.

Quail with Duck Liver & Olives

I love the succulent taste and delicate flavour of quail but for me it has to be partially boned. This simple procedure maximizes the yield and enhances the pleasure. Alain Ducasse served pigeon with duck livers and olives on his show last week so in the absence of pigeon and his recipe which was not revealed this is my version!

Boning: Take some game scissors, they are easier to manoeuvre than a knife. Cut the quail through the backbone from bottom to top and splay the bird flat out. Do not snip off the neck, it must remain intact to help keep the stuffing in place. Cut the neck pre service. Crack the breastbone with your hands then put your fingers under the ribs and very gently remove them on both sides. Slip your fingers down and around the breastbone and remove that too but take care not to split the skin. Remove any other obvious bones carefully using a small knife or just pull them out by hand. The wings and legs must remain as they are. Carefully wash the quail and pat dry.


Preheat oven to 180°C Serves: 4

Ingredients:

4 large quail
250g duck livers
2 small French onions finely chopped
2 tablespoons parsley chopped
Salt & freshly ground black pepper
2 tablespoons mixed (stoned) olives
2 teaspoons brandy
A little butter and oil for browning

Method:

Process the above expect the quail using the pulse button on a food processor. Do not overwork. Divide mixture equally between four quail and sew up with kitchen twine. Place in fridge to 'set' for no less than 30 minutes.

Brown birds gently in butter and oil, remove and microwave on low for 6 minutes. Place in oven for 5 minutes. Allow to rest briefly before serving.