NEW RECIPES

                                                 

                                                  ROAST GARLIC

Roast garlic paste is a delicacy with a creamy consistency and fine flavour that will greatly improve any meal

Ingredients:

1 or more heads of garlic

Olive oil

Preheat oven to 205 C (400 F) and peel and discard the outer layers of a whole garlic bulb, leaving intact the skins the individual cloves of garlic.  

Using a sharp knife, cut 1/4 inch from the top of the cloves exposing the individual cloves of garlic.

Drizzle the garlic bulbs with olive oil, cover with aluminium foil and bake for 30 minutes or until the cloves are slightly brown and feel soft when pressed.

Allow the garlic to cool enough and squeeze each clove out of their skin.  Either use at once or spoon into a sterilized container and refrigerate for no longer than two weeks or freeze it.   

 

                                                                        

                                                  SHEPHERD'S PIE

1 kg (2lb) potatoes, scrubbed and cut into pieces

Salt and freshly ground white pepper to taste

1 heaped tsp roast garlic paste

125 ml (1/2 cup) milk

4 tbsp butter

Filling:

500 g (1 lb) minced chicken

2 spring onions, trimmed and finely chopped

Zest of 1/2 lemon

2 tbsp olive oil

2 heaped tsp roast garlic paste

1 tomato, halved, deseeded, grated, skins discarded

2 carrots, scraped and finely chopped

1 tsp finely grated fresh ginger

1/4 cup ketchup

1 tbsp chopped fresh thyme

60 g (2 oz) Cheddar, coarsely grated 

Place the potatoes in a large saucepan, pour water to cover. season generously with salt.  Bing to the boil, lower the heat and simmer until the potatoes are tender, 10-12 minutes.  

Drain the potatoes and return to the saucepan, add the roast garlic paste, milk, butter and salt and pepper to taste.  Mash the potatoes until smooth, cover and set aside. 

Meanwhile, mix the chicken, spring onions, lemon zest and salt and pepper to taste.  Preheat the oven to 180 C (350 F).  Cook the chicken mixture, stirring with a wooden spoon until it is no longer pink.  Add the onion and garlic and cook, stirring occasionally until soft and translucent, about 5 minutes.  Stir in the tomato, carrots, ginger, ketchup, thyme and 250 ml (1 cup) hot water.  Bring to a simmer, then cover and cook until the ingredients are tender,10-12 minutes.

Transfer the filling to a baking dish and spread evenly.  Spoon the mashed potatoes over, sprinkle with cheese and bake the shepherd's pie until puffed and golden.

                            MUSHROOM SALAD WITH APPLE AND FETA

2 tbsp lemon juice

250 g (8.3 oz) mushrooms, trimmed

100 g (3.3 oz) feta

1/2 a pomegranate

2 tbsp olive oil

Pinch of Cayenne

2 tbsp sesame seeds 

Halve the apples, core then slice into thin half-moons.  Tip into a bowl and pour in the lemon juice to prevent browning. Cut the feta into slices and arrange it on a dish with the apples. Finely slice the mushrooms and scatter around the cheese.  

Holding the pomegranate half skin side up, bash with a wooden spoon to release the seeds.  Drizzle with olive oil, season wi a pinch of Cayenne and sprinkle with sesame seeds. 

                                                         BULLABESA

An interesting Asian dish.

210 g (7 oz) onion, peeled  and diced

210 g (7 oz) peeled, deseeded and diced

105 g (3.5 oz) fennel bulb, trimmed and sliced

500 g (1 lb) white fish fillets, boned

250 ml (1 cup) white wine

1 lt (4 cups) fish stock

2 bay leaves

2 sprigs of thyme

150 ml (5 oz) olive oil

50 ml (1.7 oz) almond milk

Pinch of cardamom

Fish stock:

1 kg (2 lb) mussels

1 onion, peeled and roughly chopped

1 celery stalk, threaded and chopped

125 ml,(1/2 cup) white wine

Juice of 1 lemon

5 peppercorns

1 bay leaf

2 sprigs thyme

150 g (5 oz) couscous

20 g (4 oz) butter

150 ml (5 fl oz) chicken stock

Saute the fish bones in olive oil,  When the bones are brown remove and reserve them and turn down the heat.

Sweat the chopped vegetables in the saucepan and deglaze with wine,  Return the bones and pour in the fish stock and add the bay leaves, thyme and saffron.  Cook for 45 minutes and strain,

To make the emulsion, further reduce the stock until it is 1/4 of its original amount.  Using a hand blender, blend the reduced stock with the olive oil until thick.  Warm the almond milk and add it to the emulsion and season with cardamom and salt. 

Clean the mussels ensuring that all the grit and beards have been removed.

Place all the vegetables, lemon juice, wine and aromatics in a saucepan and cover with water to make a poaching liquid,  Bring to a gentle boil, add the mussels to the liquid.  Cover the saucepan and simmer for 2 minutes until the mussels have opened.  Remove the mussels from the heat, remove the meat from the shells and set aside. 

Add 170 ml of hot water to the couscous and cover with cling film for 5 minutes, after that separate the grains with a fork,

Put the couscous in the saucepan with the chicken stock and butter, over low heat, and stir to give the couscous a creamy consistency.  Season with salt and add snipped chives for colouir.

To assemble:

Spoon the couscous on the bottom of a dish.  Top with the emulsion,  Lightly saute the mussel meat with a little olive oil to heat and place on top of the sauce.  Serve sprinkles with espelette pepper and drizzled with olive oil.