David Courtney-Jones: Cert-Ed: MIH:FWMCS:
Master Caterer Executive Consultant Chef / Freelance Chefs Services
Recipes page
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David Courtney-Jones
Guinee Fowl
Guinea Fowl:
Yield: Serves 2
Ingredients:
* 1 Whole Guinea Fowl
* 200g mixed wild mushrooms
* Thyme
* 50g tomato paste
* 3 fresh tomatoes
* Garlic
* 1 stick celery
* 1 leek
* 2 carrots
* 2 onions
* 200ml brandy
* Butter
* 1 bay leaf
* Black pepper
Method:
Remove the breasts and legs from the bird.
Place breasts in a 10% brine for 5 hours.
Trim of any excess fat from the carcass, drizzle carcass with olive oil and roast in a hot oven until golden brown.
Sauté 1 onion, 1 carrot, ½ a leek in a little oil. Add ½ the tomato paste, add the roasted bones, 1 liter of water and bring to a simmer. Add 2 fresh tomatoes, a generous sprig of thyme, 1 bay leaf and 5 whole black peppercorns.
Simmer stock for 1.5 hours, do not boil. Strain stock through a fine sieve.
In the meantime:
Debone the leg, removing all bones from both leg and thigh, being careful not to puncture or separate the meat.
Sauté the wild mushrooms in a little butter, adding garlic, chopped onion and fresh thyme, salt and pepper. Chop this mixture finely.
Spread the mushroom mixture into the guinea fowl leg. Now roll up the leg tightly and vacuum seal.
Poach the vacuum bag in water at 70’C and cook for 5 hours.
Once these steps are completed, start finishing the sauce.
Sauté 1 onion, carrot, leek and celery in a little oil until they start to color.
Add the remaining tomato paste and sauté until it starts to color.
Add the brandy and flambé, reduce the brandy until no liquid remains.
Add the stock and reduce rapidly until the sauce starts to gain consistency. (About 250ml of liquid)
Stir in a few knobs of butter until desired consistency is achieved. Strain through a fine sieve. Add a good sprig of thyme and wrap the sauce pan in plastic wrap to help the thyme infuse.
Now cook the guinea fowl breast in a little olive oil and butter, taking care to season the breast well with chopped thyme, garlic, salt and pepper.
Brown the skin side first, then turn over and “seal” the underside. Finish in an oven until just undercooked.
Now pan fry the cooked and rolled leg until golden brown on all sides.
To serve: Flood the plate with the sauce.
Slice the legs and arrange in the middle.
Slice the breast into 3 parts and fan on top of the leg.
Display vegetables around the guinea fowl ( I usually use asparagus tips, green beans and young carrots.)
Pigeon Poche Grille
Ingredients
1 sm pigeon; approx 200g (8oz)
1 ; per person
16 shallots
16 garlic cloves
100 g mixed mushrooms; (3 1/2oz)
200 g swede; peeled and cut into
1 ; chunks (7oz)
100 g unsalted butter; (3 1/2oz)
100 g salsify; (3 1/2oz)
500 ml chicken stock; (1 pint)
Instructions
Prepare the pigeon by removing the legs and wings, leaving the breast intact on the carcass of the pigeon. Bring the stock to a simmer in a saucepan and cook the pigeon breasts in the stock for 5-6 minutes then remove and leave to rest and cool down. Allow the stock to continue to simmer as this will reduce and become your sauce. In a saucepan saut,e the swede in the butter until it is tender, about 15 minutes, then blend until it is completely smooth, season and keep warm. Saut,e the peeled shallots and unpeeled garlic cloves in olive oil until they are tender. Set aside and keep warm. Saut,e the salsify in olive oil until tender, set aside and keep warm. Heat a griddle pan until it is very hot. Carefully carve the breasts off the pigeon carcass and smooth over a little olive oil. Grill the breasts on the very hot griddle, skin side down, turning every minute or so until the are pink, which should take about 4-5 minutes. Baste them with the oil and juices as they cook. Allow to rest while you complete the sauce. The stock should be reduced to about 200ml (7fl oz). Strain and return to the hot pan. Season to taste and then beat in small chunks of unsalted butter until the sauce is glossy, smooth and slightly thickened. Check the seasoning. To assemble the dish, put a round serving of the pur,ed swede in the centre of the plate with the shallots, garlic cloves and salsify around. Cut each pigeon breast in 2 horizontally and arrange on top of the swede. Spoon the hot sauce around and over the vegetables.
Converted by MC_Buster. Per serving: 404 Calories (kcal); 32g Total Fat; (72% calories from fat);
12g Protein; 16g Carbohydrate; 102mg Cholesterol; 1176mg Sodium
Food Exchanges: 1/2 Grain(Starch); 1 1/2 Lean Meat; 2 Vegetable; 0 Fruit; 5
1/2 Fat; 0 Other Carbohydrates
Lobster Recipes
4 whole live Maine lobsters, about 1-1/2 Lb each
1/3 cup unsalted butter
3 tablespoons flour
1 teaspoon salt
1/8 teaspoon freshly ground nutmeg
1/8 teaspoon paprika
1 cup half and half
3 tablespoons dry white wine
1/2 cup finely grated cheddar cheese
1 quartered lemon
4 sprigs parsley
Directions:
Heat water 3-4 gallons
to boil in a stockpot, over a high flame. Plunge lobsters headfirst, into
boiling water. Cover and simmer for 15 minutes. Remove from pot and drain well.
Remove claws and legs, leaving body intact. Remove flesh from claws and legs,
and set aside. Cut thin undershell from tail with shears and gently remove
flesh from tail shell. Cut flesh to large dice and combine with flesh from
claws. Wash shells well and drain.
Heat butter in a saucepan. Whisk in flour, salt and nutmeg. Heat and stir until
bubbly. Whisk in half and half and wine. Add lobster and stir to coat well.
Remove from heat. Invert shells onto a broiler pan and fill with lobster
mixture. Top with cheddar grated
cheese. Place in broiler briefly to melt cheese and brown lightly. Remove to a
serving platter. Garnish with wedges and parsley. Serve hot! With hot Crusty
Brown Rolls and Melted Unsalted Butter.
David Courtney-Jones
Bittersweet Chocolate Soufflé
Ingredients
7 egg whites
10 ounces bittersweet chocolate, coarsely chopped
1/2 cup butter (no substitutes)
Butter
Granulated sugar
1/4 cup granulated sugar
Sifted powdered sugar (optional)
Raspberry sorbet (optional)
Directions
1. In a large mixing bowl, allow egg whites to stand at room temperature
for 30 minutes. In the top pan of a double boiler placed over gently
simmering water or in a heavy medium saucepan, heat the chocolate and
1/2 cup butter, stirring constantly, over low heat until chocolate is
melted and smooth. Remove from heat; cool about 30 minutes.
2. Meanwhile, lightly butter the sides of 9 oven-safe 4-ounce coffee
cups, pot de creme cups, custard cups or ramekins (souffle dishes).
Sprinkle the inside of each cup or dish with granulated sugar and rotate
the cup until sugar has coated all of the butter. Gently shake out any
excess sugar. Set aside.
3. Beat egg whites with an electric mixer on medium speed until soft
peaks form (tip curl). Gradually add the 1/4 cup granulated sugar,
beating until stiff peaks form (tips stand straight). Fold about 1 cup
of the beaten egg whites into cooled chocolate mixture. Fold chocolate
mixture into remaining egg whites. Evenly divide mixture into prepared
cups.
4. Bake in a 375 degree F oven about 18 minutes or until a knife
inserted near center comes out clean. Serve immediately sprinkled with
powdered sugar and with raspberry sorbet, if you like. Makes 9 servings.
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1 savoury pastry case
2 packets mozarella
6 tomatoes
4 tablespoons grated hard cheese
Salt & pepper
Recipe :
Preheat oven to 180°C (350°F).
Wash and core tomatoes.
Place pastry case in flan dish.
Spread with mustard, then slice mozzarella and arrange in pastry case.
Slice tomatoes and arrange on top.
Season.
Sprinkle with grated cheese.
Slide dish into oven, leave to bake for about 45 mins, checking regularly.
Advice :
Cook for between 45 mins and an hour, or until the mozzarella liquid has evaporated.
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Cooking with Confidence by DCJ
Citrus-Ginger Chicken with Root Vegetables
Ingredients
2 oranges
2 lemons
4 Tbsp. ginger, freshly grated or 1 tsp. dried
4 Tbsp. honey
4 pieces chicken, fresh or frozen
1 sweet potato cut in 1/2 " chunks
1 parsnip, 1/4" slices
1 turnip, 1/4" slices
1 cup broccoli florets
Servings : 4
Instructions
Preheat oven to 450 degrees F. Spray inside of 3 1/2- or 4-quart cast iron
Dutch oven and lid with vegetable oil.
Wash the orange and lemon carefully and grate the zest from 1 of each into a bowl,add the dry or grated ginger to the bowl and the honey. Slice the fruit in half and squeeze the juice from the scraped lemon and orange into the bowl and stir well until honey dissolves. Slice the remaining fruits into thin rounds and arrange in the bottom of pot in alternating order (orange, lemon, orange, lemon, etc.) to cover in a single layer.
Arrange chicken pieces on top of the citrus rounds and pour 1/2 of juice mixture over chicken, spreading to cover. Layer with sweet potatoes, parsnips, and turnips and cover with remainder of juice mixture, making sure to include the chunks of zest and ginger. Top with a final layer of broccoli florets.
Cover and bake for about 53 minutes, or until 3 minutes after the aroma of a fully-cooked meal wafts from the oven.
Notes
This is a tangy dish with an unexpectedly sweet, zesty flavor that is a
guaranteed crowd-pleaser. I enjoy serving this to company and seeing their
surprise when they discover that they've been enjoying turnips and
parsnips—vegetables with undeserved negative reputations.
I prefer to leave the skins of potatoes, parsnips, and turnips on and simply scrub them well and remove any eyes or bad spots. Peeling is always optional in a Glorious Pot Meal and vegetable skins add many vital nutrients while aiding digestion. Once you peel a vegetable it is no longer a “whole food.” On the other hand, I can live without chicken skin.
Cooking with Confidence by DCJ
Tuna "Sausages" With Mint
in Hot Sauce
Ingredients
Sausages:
350 g (12 1/3 oz) tuna fillet in 12 thin slices
4 small tomatoes
20 mint leaves
½ onion
Extra virgin olive oil
Salt & pepper
Mixed vegetables:
1 medium zucchini, diced
100 g (3 ½ oz) cooked green beans, diced
50 g (1 ¾ oz) shelled and peeled fava beans
Extra virgin olive oil
Salt & pepper
Hot sauce:
150 g (5 1/3 oz) basic tomato sauce whisked with a
little extra virgin olive oil
20 g (3/4 oz) white wine vinegar
20 g (3/4 oz) granulated sugar
Pinch of hot red pepper
½ carrot, finely diced
½ zucchini, finely diced
Salt, pepper
Method
*A fresh, herbed tomato sauce, using onions, garlic, bay leaf, coriander, rosemary, sage, thyme, salt & pepper
Mixed vegetables: Sauté all of the vegetables in a little extra virgin olive oil for one minute over a high flame (the should remain crisp tender). Salt and pepper to taste and keep warm.
Hot Sauce: Combine all of the
ingredients in a non reactive bowl and refrigerate for one hour.
Sausages: Spread the tuna slices on your work surface. Top each with a few thinly sliced tomatoes, a mint leaf, a little diced onion, slat and pepper. Tightly roll up each slice of tuna (creating a sausage shape) and reserve in the refrigerator until ready to use.
Tie three wooden skewers together near their tops with a strip of leek. Repeat with the remaining skewers to create a total of four bundles.
Heat a large sauté pan over a high flame; brush the tuna sausages with oil and quickly brown them on all sides. The cooking time should not exceed 2-3 minutes in order to insure that the tuna remains somewhat rare.
Presentation: Arrange a bed of mixed vegetables in the center of each plate and three tuna sausages around the perimeter. Spear each with one of the skewers and serve with the hot sauce on the side. Garnish with black oil, mint infused oil, and a sprinkle of salt.
Cooking with Confidence by DCJ
Healthy Children’s Recipes, and Toddlers Recipes
Parents often ask us for children’s recipes to help ensure their little ones
have a healthy, nutritious and balanced diet. It's no wonder help is sometimes
needed when you think about how many meals you actually have to cook!
Well look no further, here i provide you with healthy toddler recipes and
healthy children’s recipes suitable for 1 to 5 year olds.
I hope you like our selection of children’s recipes and toddler recipe ideas.
If you have any of your own do let me know and I’ll put them on the site.
Fishy Rissoles
If you cannot find organic fish, try to buy wild rather
than farmed fish. These could be served with a salad or green beans.
Makes 8 rissoles
Can be frozen when cool, but should be used within a week
Ingredients
500g (1lb) potatoes, cut into chunks
1 tbsp fresh lemon juice
30g (1oz) butter
200g (7oz) fresh white or pink fish such as cod or salmon, bones and skin
removed, or 1 x 200g (7oz) tin salmon or tuna in oil or spring water, drained
Milk for poaching
6 spring onions, trimmed and chopped
Freshly ground black pepper
A little flour to prevent sticking
1 egg
2 tbsp milk
90g (3oz) fresh breadcrumbs
3 tbs good quality vegetable oil
Method
Cook the potatoes in a pan of boiling water until soft, about 12-15 minutes.
Drain, and mash with lemon juice and half of the butter.
If using fresh fish, poach it in a pan of milk; add enough milk to cover the
fish, bring to the boil, then reduce the heat and simmer until the fish is no
longer translucent, about 5-10 minutes. Drain the fish and chop into small
pieces.
In a separate pan, fry the spring onions in the remaining butter until soft.
Add the spring onions, fish and pepper to the potato mixture and combine.
Divide the mixture into 8, and pat into burger shapes with floured hands.
Beat the egg and milk together in a bowl. Coat each burger first in the egg
mixture, then in the breadcrumbs.
Heat half of the oil in a frying pan over medium heat, then turn the heat down
to low and add 4 burgers. Fry, turning once, until golden brown, about 5
minutes on each side. Drain on kitchen towl and keep warm. Add the rest of the
oil and repeat the process with the remaining burgers.
Lamb Stuffed Courgette Boats
This is an adaptation of a Greek recipe. The lamb is high in
iron and zinc, amongst other nutrients. For children this age, one courgette
boat is probably enough, though older children and adults will easily eat two.
Serve with new potatoes and either a salad or vegetables.
Serves 4
Keeps for 24 hours in the fridge
Ingredients
2 large courgettes
50g mushrooms, finely chopped
200g lamb mince
30g bulgar wheat
1 small onion, finely chopped
1 garlic clove, finely chopped
2 tablespoons of chopped, flat-leaf parsley
2 tablespoons of chopped, fresh mint
30g pine nuts, chopped
Method
· Heat the oven to 200 degrees (gas mark 6). Cook the courgettes whole in a saucepan of boiling water for 4 minutes, then drain. Cut each in half lengthways and, using a spoon, hollow out most of the flesh from each. Roughly chop the flesh.
· Put the bulgar wheat in a small bowl and pour over 100ml of boiled water, leave for 15 minutes. Drain into the sieve, squeezing out as much liquid as possible.
· Put the lamb in a large bowl with all the ingredients and mix together well.
· Push the meat mixture into the courgette boats, making sure you squeeze as much in as possible.
· Put the stuffed courgettes on an oiled baking tray and bake for 30 minutes.
Blueberry Yoghurt Cake
These little cakes provide calcium, iron, protein and
vitamin A. Replacing caster sugar with maple syrup reduces the sugar content (a
teaspoon of maple syrup has half the sugar content of a teaspoon of sugar). And
of course replacing white flour with wholemeal slightly increases the fibre
content. Adding fruit to the cakes makes them a little squidgy in texture,
perfect served with vanilla ice cream.
Makes 10-12 cakes
Keeps for 24 hours in the fridge
Ingredients
2 large free-range eggs, separated
50g maple syrup sugar
25g wholemeal flour
200g strained Greek yoghurt
Lemon, zest and juice of half a lemon
100g blueberries
Butter, for greasing
Ice cream
Method
· Preheat the oven to 180 degrees or 350 farenheit.
· Grease a yorkshire pudding tin.
· Mix the eggs with the maple syrup well. Beat in the flour, then the yoghurt, lemon zest and lemon juice until throughly blended. Whisk the egg whites until stiff. Fold them into the yoghurt mixture.
· Divide the blueberries between all the cakes then pour the mixture into each mould.
· Bake in the oven for 30 minutes, until the top is brown. It will rise like a souffle and then subside. Allow to cool turn out on to bowls and serve warm with a scoop of vanilla ice cream.
Cooking with Confidence by DCJ
Bolognese with a difference
- 2 tbsp olive oil
- 1 onion
- 2 crushed garlic cloves
- 1 stick, finely chopped celery
- 450g minced beef
- 2 tbsp sun-dried tomato paste
- 400g can chopped tomatoes
- 150ml beef stock
- 50g chopped olives
- handful fresh basil leaves
- spaghetti, to serve
- METHOD OF COOKERY
- Heat the olive oil in a large pan and cook the chopped onion, garlic and chopped celery for 3-4 minutes over a medium heat until the onion has softened slightly. Tip in the lean minced beef and cook, stirring occasionally, for 3-4 minutes until browned all over. Stir in the sun-dried tomato paste and cook for 1 minute.
- Add the chopped tomatoes. Pour the beef stock into the empty tomato can, swish around then add to the pan. Stir in the pitted black chopped olives. Bring to the boil, reduce the heat, then cover and simmer gently for 35-40 minutes, until very tender. Season well and stir in a handful of fresh torn basil leaves.
- Toss with cooked spaghetti and serve.
Cooking with Confidence by DCJ
Steak and Kidney Pie- 250g plain flour, plus extra for rolling
- 140g cold unsalted butter, roughly cubed
- 1 large egg yolk
- 1 small egg whisked with 1 tbsp milk, for the egg wash
- 1 ox kidney, about 400g/14oz, get it fresh from your butcher. Pig's and lamb's kidneys aren't suitable as they only need short cooking
- 1kg trimmed British top rump beef
- 250g flat mushrooms, unpeeled but wiped with a damp cloth
- 3 tbsp groundnut or vegetable oil
- 100g unsalted butter
- 1 large onion, peeled and thickly chopped
- 50-85g plain flour, depending on how thick you like your gravy
- 600ml off-the-boil water
- 1 tbsp Marigold Swiss vegetable bouillon powder
- 1 large bay leaf
- It's important to cook the meat a day ahead, so that you can discard any fat that has risen to the top, and so that the pastry doesn't slump in the face of a too-warm filling, so up to 48 hours ahead -make the pastry. Whizz the flour and a pinch of fine sea salt together for a few seconds in a food processor, then add the butter and whizz until the mixture looks like coarse breadcrumbs. Whisk together the egg yolk and 3 tbsp water and whizz with the pastry until it collects in a ball. Wrap in cling film and leave it to rest in the fridge for at least one hour.
- Cut button-mushroom-sized lobes of kidney from the white central core (discarding). Cut the beef into bite-sized cubes and cut the mushrooms into chunks.
- Heat 1 tbsp of the oil in a large, heavy frying pan over a medium-high heat. Throw in the kidney and fry until lightly coloured. Tip into a colander to drain.
- Wipe out the frying pan and return it to a low-medium heat, adding 25g/1oz of the butter and 1 tbsp oil. Tip in the onion and fry for 10 minutes, stirring occasionally, until soft and slightly golden. Transfer to a large casserole, using a slotted spoon.
- Preheat the oven to 160C/gas 3/fan 140C. Tip the 85g/3oz flour into a large plastic bag, and season it generously. Throw in the beef and shake until lightly floured.Return the frying pan to a mediumhigh heat, adding a little more oil and butter if needed. Shake off any excess flour (reserving it) then fry the beef in batches until golden-brown. As each batch is done, transfer it to the casserole.
- Adding more oil and butter to the frying pan if necessary, fry the mushrooms for about 2 minutes until starting to wilt, then add them to the casserole with the drained kidneys, hot water, bouillon powder and bay leaf, plus the excess flour in the bag if you like a thick gravy. Stir well, cover and cook in the oven for 75-90 minutes until the meat is tender and the sauce is thick. Cool thoroughly, then put in the fridge (preferably overnight) so any fat will solidify - it can then be skimmed off and discarded.
- In the morning - return the pastry to cool room temperature, then roll it out thinly on a wellfloured surface. Invert a 28-30x23cm, 6.5cm deep pie dish on to the pastry. Mentally add an extra 1cm all round, then use the dish as a guide to cut out the pastry lid. From the remnants, cut out enough 6cm-wide strips of pastry to go round the dish - they should cover the flat rim and about halfway down the insides.
- Lightly butter the rim of the dish and line it with the strip(s) of pastry, sealing any joins with a little dab of water. Butter the shoulders of a pie raiser or an upturned egg cup and stand it in the middle. Spoon in the meat mixture to come level with the top of the dish. Don't overfill: reserve any excess gravy to serve hot with the pie.
- Brush the pastry rim with a little water, then drape the pastry lid over it, pinching the edges to seal. Cover with cling film and keep in the fridge if not baking immediately.
- Finally, an hour before serving - preheat the oven to 200C/gas 6/fan 180C. Make four slashes in the lid of the pie, then brush with the egg wash. Bake for 35-45 minutes until the pastry is golden brown, turning the heat down 10-20º after about 20 minutes. Remove the pie from the oven and leave it to rest for around 10 minutes before cutting into it.
Cooking with Confidence by DCJ
Chicken stuffed with Herb Mascapone- 3 tbsp mascarpone
- 1 tbsp finely chopped rosemary
- 1 garlic clove, crushed
- 2 chicken breasts, skin on
- 4 slices prosciutto
- splash olive oil
- juice of half a lemon
- Heat oven to 200C/fan 180C/gas 6. Mix the mascarpone with the rosemary, garlic and seasoning. Place the chicken breasts on a board and lift, but don't detach, the skin. Put a spoonful of the mascarpone mix under the skin of each breast. Wrap 2 slices of prosciutto around each, as neatly and tightly as you can, to keep the filling enclosed.
- Heat a non-stick frying pan, add the olive oil and quickly brown the chicken on both sides. Transfer to a roasting tin, then finish off in the oven for 15-20 mins until just cooked.
-
Add the lemon juice to the roasting
tin and stir over the heat, scraping off any
crispy bits. Spoon the juices over the chicken
and serve with potatoes and green beans.
Tip
If the chicken feels firm when prodded at its thickest part, then it's cooked all the way through.
Cooking with Confidence by DCJ
Simple Italian Meals - St Valentines Day Meal
~ Mousse di formaggio con pan nociato al miele~ Ciriole al tartufo
~ Piccione in salmì
~ Dolce alla ricotta
Mousse di formaggio con pan nociato al miele
Ingredients :
- For the Mousse : 5 oz grated pecorino cheese
- 1 oz celery
- 2 tbsp fresh cilantro,
- ½ clove garlic,
- white wine vinegar, to taste
- 2 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
For the pan nociato al miele : - 3 oz flour
- ½ oz beer yeast
- 2 fl oz lukewarm water
- 2½ oz flour
- 2½ oz walnut pieces
- 1 oz barley flour
- ¾ oz honey
- pinch salt
- water
Preparation and Cooking Instructions :
- For Mousse : In a food processor or hand-held mixer, blend all of the ingredients, except the vinegar, until of a smooth consistency. Mix in vinegar to taste. This quick and simple recipe can be used as a spread over rustic toasted bread or to season pasta dishes.
- For the pan nociato al miele : Dissolve yeast in lukewarm water and let stand in a warm, humid spot until doubled in volume.
- Meanwhile, combine the remaining ingredients.
- Once yeast mixture has doubled in size, add it to the nut-flour mixture and knead till smooth.
- Shape the bread into a loaf and place into greased loaf pan; let rise till doubled.
- Bake in a preheated oven at 400°F for 35-40 minutes.
- Let stand before slicing and serving with the Mousse di formaggio.
Ciriole al tartufo
Ingredients :
- 6½ oz flour
- lukewarm water (usually half as much as the quantity of flour)
- 3 tbsp extra virgin olive oil ( fruity if available )
- 1 knob butter
- 1 fresh black truffle
- ½ clove garlic
- salt and pepper
- Sift the flour onto a flat surface. Form a well and add the water. Knead dough vigorously until it is smooth and homogeneous. Cover with damp towel and let rest 30 minutes.
- Pinch off small knobs of the dough and with the palm of your hand, roll each piece against the countertop, forming long, thin strands.
- Melt the butter in a skillet and add oil.
- Add ½ of the truffle, freshly grated and the ½ clove garlic (leave whole so as to be able to remove it easily later).
- Heat very gently, just enough for the aromas to blend well. Set aside.
- In a large pot of boiling water, add the pasta with plenty of rock salt.
- When the pasta floats to the top, gather it with a hand-held strainer and add it to the skillet along with the garlic and truffle-infused oil.
- Give it a very gentle toss, lightly season with salt and pepper and serve with the remainder of the truffle, which has been very thinly sliced.
- Cooks Note : It is generally taught to avoid adding truffles during the cooking process of the pasta, however, there are many exceptions in Italian cuisine and this recipe is one of those exceptions. In any case, it applies only to the black truffle, as the white one is too delicate to be treated in this manner.
Piccione in salmì
Ingredients :
- 2 pigeons, perfectly cleaned
- 1 clove garlic
- 1/2 onion
- 4 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
- 2 fresh sage leaves
- 2 sprigs rosemary
- 1/2 glass white wine vinegar
- 1 glass white wine
- Rind of 1/2 a lemon
- 3 oz chicken livers
- 2 tspn capers
- salt & pepper.
- Season the pigeons with salt and pepper externally and inside the cavity as well.
- Roast in a hot oven (400°F) for 20 minutes.
- In an heat-proof casserole dish, add the oil and the remaining ingredients.
- Remove the pigeons from the oven and cut in half in order that the juices run out, taking care to reserve them.
- Place the pigeons and their juices into the casserole dish and boil, covered, 20 minutes.
- Remove the pigeons and puree the cooked ingredients until smooth, making sure there are no bones in the mixture.
-
Serve on a platter, place the halved pigeons over sliced rustic bread and serve the puree over it all.
Dolce alla ricotta
Ingredients :
- 2 eggs
- 3½ oz flour
- 3½ oz sugar
- 1/4 tspn baking soda
For the filling : - 11 oz fresh ricotta cheese
- 6½ oz powdered sugar
- 2½ oz bittersweet chocolate grated
- 2½ oz ground almonds
- 2½ oz candied fruit
- 1 oz raisins
- 1 vanilla bean split
- 2 tspns maraschino cherry juice
- 1 tbsp Alchermes liquor.
- Beat the eggs and sugar, add the flour and, lastly, the baking soda.
- Pour batter into a butter and floured 8" cake pan and bake for 35-40 minutes at 325°F (preferably not in a convection oven which would cause the cake to be too dry).
- Let cool and turn out onto a flat dish.
- With a serated knife, slice the cake into ½" strips starting
from one end to the other.
- For the filling: Toast the almonds in a small skillet with the sugar until the sugar begins to cling to the almonds.
- Meanwhile, strain the ricotta and blend the powdered sugar into it along with the chocolate, the candied fruits, raisins, the vanilla bean seeds, the glazed almonds and the maraschino cherry juice.
- Line the bottoms of two crystal cups with a layer of cake strips.
- Sprinkle with Alchermes and then with a layer of the ricotta mixture. Repeat several times finishing with the cake strips.
- Weight down with a saucer and chill in refrigerator until set.
- Serve with a dusting of powdered sugar and chocolate curls
German Cheesecake:
- Shortcrust:
- 200g / 1 2/3 cups flour
- 65 g / 1/2 stick butter, unsalted
- 65 g / 4 tbsp sugar
- 1 egg
- pinch of salt
- Filling:
- 2 lbs quark or farmers cheese
- 5 eggs, separated
- 2 tbsp flour
- 3-6 tbsp milk (amount depends on the size of eggs)
- 10-12 tbsp sugar
- lemon juice
- 1 tbsp vanilla sugar or 1/2 tsp vanilla extract
Directions
- From the shortcrust ingredients prepare the shortcrust. Line the bottom of a 10.5 inch (26 cm) springform pan with parchment paper and grease the sides of the springform pan. Place shortcrust dough on on bottom of springform pan and also pressing it up 3/4 of the sides. Refrigerate until filling is prepared.
- Pre-heat oven to 320 F / 160 C.
- With an electric mixer or stand mixer whisk the egg yolks, sugar and vanilla sugar/ vanilla extract until frothy. Add quark / farmers cheese (see my recipe for making quark), milk and flour. Mix until creamy. Add lemon juice to taste, about 2-3 dahses.
- Whisk egg whites until stiff peaks form and fold into the quark mixture.
- Fill cheese cake mixture into springform pan.
- Bake at 320 F / 160 C for 60 - 80 minutes until mixture is set and slightly brown. It's recommended to bake the cheese cake in the upper third of the oven. Do not open oven door during baking!
- After cheese cake is done, turn of heat and open oven door . Let cool the cake for 5 minutes inside the oven.
- Take the cake out of the oven and let stand for another 15 minutes.
- Turn over cheese cake on a wiring rack with springform pan still assembled! Let cool completely at room temperature, at least for 2 hours. Turn cheese cake over again (the pattern of the wiring rack is visible on the cheesecake now) and remove springform pan.
- If desired cool in refrigerator. Serve with a good cup of coffe.
Serves 4
olive oil
1 onion, finely chopped
1 tbsp fresh thyme leaves
310 gr puy lentils
10 gr smoked streaky bacon, chopped
4 cod fillets
1 raw chorizo sausage, cut into slices (200gr)
Method
Sweat off onion and thyme, add lentils until coated then cover with water.
Add bacon and simmer for 40 - 45 min until lentils are tender then strain.
Pan fry cod until skin crispy and lightly golden, keep warm.
Pan fry chorizo until sizzling and cooked.
place lentils on plate topped with cod, arrange chorizo around plate and drizzle pan juices over.
1 cup chopped parsley
1/4 cup olive or salad oil
2 tablespoons lemon juice
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon pepper
4 small salmon steaks, each 3/4 inch thick
ABOUT 30 MINUTES BEFORE SERVING:
Preheat oven to 400 degrees. In blender or food processor with knife blade attached, blend parsley, oil, lemon juice, salt, and pepper until smooth.
Coat salmon steaks with parsley mixture. In overproof 10-inch skillet over high heat, cook coated salmon and any remaining parsley mixture until salmon is lightly browned on both sides, about 2 minutes on each side.
Place skillet in oven. Bake about 10 minutes or until salmon flakes easily when tested with fork.
Makes 4 servings.
Serves 4
2 tsp cumin seeds
100ml creme fraiche
1 savoy cabbage
100 gr couscous
4 salmon fillets
3 tbsp olive oil
4 tbsp dbl cream
Method
Toast half the cumin seeds until aromatic, leave to cool, then stir into creme fraiche, chill.
Remove leaves from cabbbage, cut out stalk.
Blanche leaves, pat dry and julienne.
Evenly coat salmon fillets in cous cous.
Pan fry salmon fillets until salmon is just tender and couscous lightly golden.
Bring cream to simmer with remaining cumin seeds, add cabbage and slightly reduce.
Arrange cabbage on plate, salmon ontop, topped with a quenelle of creme fraiche
serves4
20 oysters
1/2 cucumber
10 radish
2 lemons juice
1/4 teaspoon sugar
20 gr caviar
method
Shuck oysters
Peel cucumber, using mandolin pare each side into long thin julienne leaving centre seeds. Then tiny dice the julienne.
Repeat process with radish.
For the dressing, place lemon juice in bowl with sugar.
To Serve.
arrange 5 oysters on plate sprinkle with cucumber then radish and garnish with caviar, then drizzle with lemon juice and serve.
Easy Desert Ideas
4 Slices wholemeal bread
450 ml (� pint) Milk
2 Eggs
50g (2 oz) Currants or Sultanas
1 Orange
1 tbsp Light Soft Brown Sugar
1 tbsp Brandy or Rum (Optional)
Butter
Orange Marmalade
Pinch Freshly Grated Nutmeg
Pre-heat oven to 180 �C; 350 �F; Gas 4.
Cut each slice of bread into 4 triangles, spread with the butter and marmalade.
Place in a buttered oven-proof dish, buttered side up, sprinkling the layers with the fruit.
Heat the milk, but do not boil.
Beat the eggs and add the zest of the orange. Add the brandy or rum, if using, or use 1tbsp of juice from the orange.
Gradually pour the warmed milk onto the egg mixture, stirring continuously.
Pour over the bread and leave to stand for at least 20 minutes allowing the bread to absorb the milk.
Sprinkle on the sugar and nutmeg and bake for 30-40 minutes until set and lightly browned.
Serve immediately
250g Dark Chocolate, melted
200g Icing Sugar, sifted
250g Butter, softened
300g Whole Egg liquid
100g Strong flour, sifted
Method of preparation:
1. Spray moulds and then coat with a thin layer of flour, remove excess. Makes 6 - 8 moulds Set aside.
2. Soften butter and beat with a paddle slowly combining the chocolate until smooth.
3. Whisk the eggs and icing sugar together until smooth (Don't over whip).
4. Fold the chocolate mixture into the egg mixture and then add the sifted flour.
5. Pip into moulds and chill.
6. Bake at 180 C for around 6 -8 minutes. Serve with a scoop of Matcha ice cream.
110g (4oz) Flour
85g (3oz) Sugar
50g (2oz) Butter
2 Eggs
2 tbsp Raspberry Jam
Sieve the flour.
Cream the butter and sugar together until light and fluffy.
Beat in the eggs, a little at a time, adding a tablespoon of the flour mixture to prevent curdling.
Fold in the remaining flour.
Stir in one tablespoon of jam.
Place the remaining jam into a buttered basin.
Pour the mixture into the basin.
Cover with pleated greaseproof paper and foil.
Place in a saucepan of boiling water and steam for about two hours, topping up the water as necessary.
Turn out and serve hot with custard
200gr plain flour
50gr caster sugar
130gr butter
2 egg yolks
splash water if necessary
Method
rub butter into flour and sugar (resemble bread crumbs)
mix in yolks
Cling film and rest in fridge 20 min
Welsh Soup
Welsh Creamed Leek Soup
Serves 8
565g (1�lb) Leeks
2.84lt (5 pints) Vegetable or Mutton Stock
120ml (4floz) Double Cream
110g (4oz) Onion, roughly chopped
50g (2oz) Butter
25g (1oz) Parsley, roughly chopped
1 Head Celery, roughly chopped
Salt and Pepper
Cubed Lamb or Mutton (Optional)
Cut the leeks into 4 lengthways, then roughly chop.
Reserving the green parts and chop finely.
Melt the butter and fry for a few minutes to soften the vegetables, without browning them.
Add the stock, bring to the boil, and simmer for 1 hour, skimming as necessary.
Either pass through a fine strainer or liquidise the soup.
Reheat the soup, stir in the green of leeks, and cubed meat (if used), season to taste.
Serve garnished with parsley and a swirl of cream.
Chickpea, Chilli, and Bacon Soup
serves 6 -8
600 gr dried chickpeas
200 gr piece of streaky bacon
3 tbsp olive oil
1 large onion, chopped finely
2 garlic cloves, finely chopped
2 long red chillies, seede and finely chopped
2.5 lts chicken stock
Method
Soak chickpeas for 24hrs, drain.
place chickpeas in pan, cover with water and boil for 10 min and refresh(eliminate toxins)
Cut half the bacon into strips , leave other half.
In pan heat olive oil and sweat onion, garlic and chilli, add drained chickpeas and cook for further two minutes.
Add stock and whole piece of bacon, bring to boil and simmer until chickpeas are tender.
Remove and discard piece of bacon, puree and season soup.
Fry bacon strips till crispy and garnish soup.
Foie Gras Terrine
Foie Gras Terrine
Ingredients
Makes One Terrine
Terrine
2kg Foie Gras
100g black truffles
1 large celeriac (celery root)
10g salt 5g pepper
10g cognac
1tsp of sugar
Garnish
Mache Leaves
Truffle Olive Oil
Truffle Juice
Chervil Balsamic
250g blanched julienne of celeriac
Peel and thinly slice the celeriac. Cut the foie gras into even slices and remove any blood clots and veins. Season with salt, pepper and sugar. Pan fry in a hot pan until soft. Keep excess fat that comes from the foie gras. Thinly slice the truffles and flame with a little Cognac.
Add the fat retained from the foie gras and remove from the heat. Line a Le Creuset terrine with clingfilm (plastic wrap), then carefully line with the thinly sliced celeriac, which has been well cooked in boiling salted water. Now begin to layer the terrine with celeriac, then foie gras and truffles. Repeat this until the terrine is full. Carefully wrap over the celeriac and press under a weight all night. Turn out and cut a generous slice. Place just down from the center of a plate with a bouquet of mache salad and julienne of celeriac tossed in olive oil and topped with a slice of black truffle at the head of the plate......
Serve with plenty of toasted whole wheat baguette & brioche.
Caviar Trifle
Caviar Trifle
Ingredients
Serves Four to Eight
8 ounces high quality cream cheese, softened
4 ounces sour cream
4 hard-boiled eggs, finely chopped
¼ C. each red and yellow bell peppers, brunoise cut
¼ C. finely chopped fresh chives
1-3.5 ounce jar Smoked Chicago GoldenT Caviar
1-3.5 ounce jar Collins Bowfin Caviar
1-3.5 ounce Collins Salmon Caviar
Toasted brioche or blini to accompany
For serving: 4-8 martini glasses, depending upon size, or other clear stemware. Mother of Pearl spoons are recommended for service.
Method
This recipe is designed to make 4-8 individual servings, depending upon your choice of stemware or other serving vessel.
Place cream cheese in a standing mixer and paddle until light & fluffy. Add sour cream and blend until smooth, but do not whip out the air that has been incorporated. Remove bowl from mixer. Add the hard-boiled eggs, peppers and chives. Fold in gently with rubber spatula.
Arrange martini glasses in a line. With a long handled stainless steel teaspoon, carefully spoon a layer of egg mixture into each glass. Make sure the layer is flat, and be careful not to get any on the inside walls of the glass. Next take a clean spoon and spread a layer of one of the caviars on to the egg mixture. Again, keeping the caviar off the glass walls, and making sure it is a nice level line of color as seen from the outside of the glass. Keep repeating with layers of egg mixture and alternating caviars until you reach just below the top of the glass. The top layer should be the egg mixture. Cover loosely with plastic film, and refrigerate for at least 2 hours. Make sure to reserve some of the caviar for garnishing before service.
For Service:
Place each filled martini glass on the small service plate of your choice, using a doily or napkin so it will not slide on the plate. Using the remaining caviar, place a dollop in the center of each, or create a swirling pattern. Sprinkle with a few chopped chives, or insert several whole chives for height. Don't forget to send the spoon out with your order! Toasted brioche is an excellent choice to serve on the side with the Trifle, or classic blini if desired.
Beluga Caviar
Beluga Caviar
Ingredients
Serves 4
Mis en Place
4 ounces beluga caviar - oscietre or sevruga may be substituted
Potato Blini (recipe follows)
1/2 cup clarified Butter (recipe follows)
1/2 cup crème fraiche
1/4 small red onion, finely minced 1 teaspoon finely minced chives
For the Blini:
4 Yukon gold potatoes, peeled, cut in half
1/2 cup all-purpose flour
2 teaspoons baking powder
1 cup milk, room temperature
4 ounces unsalted butter, melted
2 eggs, room temperature, lightly beaten
Salt & pepper .
to make the blini:
Cook the potatoes in a pot of salted water, cooking for about 20 minutes or until just done. Put the cooked potatoes through a ricer and reserve.
Add the flour and baking powder and mix well with a fork. Slowly add the milk and butter. Incorporate the 2 eggs and season with salt and pepper. The batter should resemble a pancake batter.
Heat a well-seasoned or non-stick pan until warm over medium heat. Carefully ladle into the pan 2-dollar size mounds of batter. Cook on one side and then flip over to brown the other side. Repeat this process until you have used all the batter. Reserve in a warm place.
To clarify the butter:
Gently warm the butter. As it warms, foam will accumulate on the surface. With a thin metal spoon, skim this foam away into a container. (Save the foam to spread on your morning toast, it's lower in fat than regular butter and just as tasty.) Carefully pour off the clarified butter into another pot, leaving behind the milky water on the bottom.
Assembly:
Place a potato blin in the center of each serving plate. Spoon 2 tablespoons of the crème fraiche on the blini. Place a teaspoon of the caviar on the crème fraiche. Top with another blin and repeat the process until all is used. This will look like a stack of pancakes topped with crème fraiche and caviar.
Drizzle 2 tablespoons of the butter around the stack. Scatter the chives and red onions around each plate. Serve immediately.
Ingredients
Serves Four
Mis en Place
Foie Gras Terrine
Celery Root and Spaetzle Salad
Special Equipment
1 24-ounce earthenware terrine mold, such as Le Crueset
Spaetzle extruder
For the Terrine
2 lobes fresh Grade "A" foie gras
2 teaspoons sel ruse
2 tablespoons sauterne or brandy
2 tablespoons Madeira - medium sweet
1/2 teaspoon freshly ground white peppe r
1/2 teaspoon salt
For the Spaetzle
6 eggs
2 cups all-purpose flour
Salt & pepper
For the Celery Root Salad
1 celery root, about 4-inches in diameter, peeled and cut into julienne
1/2 Granny Smith apple, cut into a julienne
2 tablespoons tomato concassé, cut into a julienne
1 teaspoon minced chives
2 tablespoons whole grain mustard
2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
1 teaspoon champagne vinegar
Salt & pepper
To make the terrine:
Remove the lobes of foie gras from the packaging and put in a large bowl. Let rest at room temperature for 1 hour. (They'll be easier to handle.) Being careful not to break up the lobes too much, try to remove as many of the large veins as possible with your fingers and the tip of a paring knife. If the lobes do break up, it's all right but it's better to have the pieces as large as possible to go into the terrine, so you won't get a mutilated look, which obviously takes from the appearance. Mix the sel ruse with the sauterne and Madeira. Pour over the lobes of foie gras and gently rub in the salt and pepper. Cover the bowl tightly with plastic wrap and let marinate for 6-8 hours.
Preheat oven to 250°F. Line the terrine mold with plastic wrap leaving extra plastic hanging off all sides. Carefully pour off the marinade. Place the lobes of foie gras in the terrine and press down as tightly as possible to eliminate any air pockets. Bring the edges of the plastic wrap over the top of the terrine. Don't worry, the plastic wrap won't melt.
Make a water bath by using a roasting pan that will accommodate the terrine mold. Place the terrine in the pan and fill the pan with hot water, coming up about 1/3 to 1/2 way up the sides of the terrine. Bake for 30-40 minutes. Remove the terrine from the oven and let rest for 1 hour. Remove the terrine from the water bath and peel back the plastic. With the edge of a spoon or spatula, scrape and discard as much of the fat as possible that has accumulated on the top of the terrine. Save the fat for use later (see p. TK) . Recover loosely with the plastic and refrigerate for 1 hour.
While cooling, cut a piece of heavy cardboard to fit snugly inside the top of the terrine and wrap a brick with foil. When time is up spoon off any additional oil, place the cardboard on the terrine and then the brick. This compression will allow the foie gras to settle tightly in the mold, forming a solid piece. Refrigerate for at least 24 hours and up to one week.
To make the spaetzle:
Break 6 eggs into a bowl. Whisk in the flour until evenly incorporated. Taste and season with salt and pepper. The batter should resemble very thick pancake batter.
Fill a 4-quart pot with salted water. Pour some of the batter in the hopper of the spaetzle extruder and slide back and forth. Cook for 2 minutes and remove with a slotted scooper into a bowl of ice water. Repeat each batch when the hopper is empty. Drain and refrigerate.
To make the salad:
Toss the celery root, apple, tomato, chives, mustard, olive oil, vinegar and the spaetzle together. Mix thoroughly. Season the salad with salt and pepper and reserve.
To assemble:
Remove the terrine from the mold by rapping a corner lightly against the counter. Carefully remove the plastic wrap and slice the foie gras into four 3/4-inch slices. Wrap up the rest of the terrine with fresh plastic and refrigerate.
Place equal parts of each salad on the center of each plate. Carefully top the salads with a slice of terrine and garnish with a julienne of apple soaked in lemon water and celery leaves. Serve.