Steamed baby chicken with peppers and herbs on a bed of baby vegetables
Ingredients (Serves 4)
4 baby chicken
1 sweet red pepper
1 tbsp tarragon
1 tbsp parsley
25g (1 oz) butter
225g (8 oz) carrots
225g (8 oz) swede
225g (8 oz) turnip
12 broccoli fleurettes
600ml (1 pt) vegetable stock
Method
- Remove wish bone and loosen skin over the breast carefully using your forefinger.
- Chop peppers and sweat in butter, add a little water and cook until soft.
- Puree and add to tarragon and parsley.
- Push under the skin of the chicken and tie back into original shape.
- Steam for approximately 25/35 minutes depending on size.
- Shape carrots, swede and turnip into barrel shapes.
- Cut broccoli into fleurettes and cook separately in vegetable stock.
- When the vegetables are almost cooked, take out and put into iced water to refresh,
take out and drain.
- When chicken is almost ready, put vegetables around it to reheat thoroughly for
approximately 4 minutes.
- Take out chicken, cut into breasts and legs.
- Arrange with a bed of vegetables around in a soup plate and a ladle full of strained
cooking liquor, serve.
Strawberry & passion fruit pavlova
Ingredients (Serves 8)
5 egg whites
250g (10oz) caster sugar
Seeds of one vanilla pod
1 tsp corn flour
1 tsp white wine vinegar
275ml (1⁄2 pt) low fat Greek yoghurt or crème fraîche
800g (2lb) strawberries
100g (4oz) sugar
2-3 passion fruit
Icing sugar to taste
Method
- On a sheet of greaseproof paper, draw around a 30 cm (12”) ring, then turn the greaseproof
paper upside down onto the baking tray you will be using.
- Whisk the egg whites until stiff, then slowly add the sugar, then corn flour, vinegar
and vanilla seeds. Continue to whisk until thick and shiny.
- Spread 1⁄3 of the mix on the greaseproof paper following the line. Using 2⁄3 of
the mix left for the sides making sure they are not too high and fall over. The
remaining mix should be spooned into the centre leaving peaks that will stick up
and give texture.
- Bake for 11⁄2 hours at 160°C. This will give a crisp outside and soft centre. Once
the pavlova is cooked leave to cool.
- Combine the Greek yoghurt or crème fraîche with some icing sugar to taste, spoon
this mix into the centre of the meringue nest leaving some peaks showing.
- Chop 1⁄3 of the strawberries and put into a food processor with 4oz sugar, then
puree. Cut the rest of the strawberries into quarters, mix with the strawberry puree
and pour over the pavlova and the cream. Then remove the centre of the passion fruit
and spread over the strawberries, dust with icing sugar and serve.
Poached fillet of beef with a parma ham vinaigrette
Ingredients (Serves 8)
1 tin of beef consommé
4 x 4 oz beef fillet steaks
4 tbsp chopped Parma ham
1 tbsp sherry vinegar
3 tbsp olive oil
1⁄2 tsp mild mustard
1 bunch chopped chives
12 oz mangetout
12 new potatoes
Method
- Trim fillet if necessary.
- Boil new potatoes.
- Bring consommé up to gentle simmer.
- Plunge in steaks and simmer gently for 5/6 minutes for rare, 8 minutes for medium
or 12 minutes for well done.
- Put the ham into a bowl; add sherry vinegar, olive oil, mustard and 4 tbsp of stock.
- Mix and season.
- Poach the mange tout quickly and then cut pieces of pre-cooked new potatoes.
- Drain and lay in a large soup bowl.
- Place the steak on top.
- Pour the sauce over and sprinkle with chives.
Apple and raspberry rye pudding
Ingredients (Serves 8)
1lb cooking apples
6oz raspberries
4oz unrefined sugar
6oz dry rye bread
2oz butter
4oz raspberry jam
2oz roasted hazelnuts
Method
- Peel, core and slice the apples, then stew with 1oz butter and 2oz sugar to a mash.
- Make the rye bread into crumbs.
- Melt 1oz butter and add the crumbs.Wait until they start to brown.Take off the heat,
cool and then add the rest of the sugar and the chopped roasted hazelnuts.
- Mix the raspberries with the apple puree. Separately warm the jam.
- Grease 4 x 2 inch metal rings and put onto a baking sheet.
- Into each metal ring lay a layer of breadcrumbs, then a spoon of jam and a spoon
of the apple/raspberry mix, followed by a second layer of breadcrumbs, jam and apple/raspberry
mix, finishing with breadcrumbs.
- Push down and bake in oven at 180°C for 15 minutes.Take out and carefully remove
the cooking rings.
- Serve with a dollop of crème fraiche on top.
Grilled brill with pak choi and a green yoghurt sauce
Ingredients (Serves 4)
4 x 150 g (6oz) brill steaks (alternatively turbot, cod or haddock)
8 medium sized or 4 large pak choi
2 tbsp olive oil
1 clove garlic - pureed
Salt 569 ml (1 pint)
Greek style yoghurt
2 cloves garlic
1 tbsp chopped basil leaves
1 tbsp chopped parsley
1 tbsp chopped chives
2 tbsp créme fraiche
Method
- Heat the grill in advance.
- Season the brill with a little salt and a splash of olive oil then put under the
grill to cook, 5 minutes each side (depending on the thickness). Meanwhile steam
the pak choi and when cooked drain.
- Put pak choi into a frying pan with olive oil and puree of garlic then fry but do
not colour greatly.
- Whilst this is happening mix the yoghurt with the chopped herbs, two cloves of crushed
garlic and créme fraiche. Stir in and season with salt.
- When the fish is cooked put the pak choi on a plate, lay the fish on top and spoon
the sauce over.