Spiced Cauliflower Soup
Difficulty *
Serves 6
Prep Time 10 mins
Cooking Time 30 mins
* 1 whole Cauliflower head diced into 3-4cm florets
* 1 lemon
* 2 carrots peeled and finely sliced
* 1 leek washed & sliced
* 1 long stick celery washed and sliced
* 2 Tbs Ras El Hanout
* 1 litre of stock (look for one that has low salt, or make your own :) )
* 200mls cream
* 50g Butter
* Oil
* Salt
Method:
1. In a medium sized bowl put your diced Cauliflower in with enough water just to cover the Florets. Slice your lemon in half and squeeze in the juice and remaining halves into the same bowl. Allow to soak for 15 mins.
2. Put a large pot on to a medium heat, add butter and a good swig of oil. Add in the Leeks, onions, Carrots and celery with a good pinch of salt and allow to sweat on a low heat for 5-8mins until they start to look soft.
3. Add in the Ras El Hanout and continue to cook on a low heat, drain the Cauliflower discarding the lemon halves and add to the pot. Continue to stir and coat the Cauliflower with the Spiced Vegetable mix.
4. Once the Cauliflower is coated and been cooking for a few minutes its now time to add in the stock, being mindful to stir well and get all that yummy flavour from the bottom of the pot. Bring up to the boil and turn down to a simmer for 30mins being mindful to stir every 5 - 10 mins. **You will know when its ready when the Cauliflower mushes easily with your wooden spoon.
5. At this stage you could serve as is or what I like to do is whizz it up with a stick blender to get a smooth consistency, then I add the cream whizzing again. Season to taste if required. Serve with crusty bread and as an added option add a dollop of warm Caramelised Red Wine Onions on top.
Enjoy!
Vanilla Poached Pears #vanillasundayze
Difficulty **
Makes 6
Prep Time 30 mins
Baking Time 20 mins
Cooking Time 5 mins
Element 1 - Poached Pears
* 6 x Pear of your choice (Preferrably Beurre' Bosc)
* 1lt water
* 1kg caster sugar
* Vanilla Pod
* 3 Star Anise
* 3 Cloves
* 3 Cinnamon Quill
Element 2 - Tart Shells
* 500g Plain flour
* 2 Tbs Caster sugar
* 3 tsp *Heaven Spice Blend (Purchase on store)
* 200g Chilled butter
* 3 Tbs Coco Powder
Element 3 - Chocolate filing
* 300ml Cream
* 300gms Dark Chocolate
* 100g Butter
* 2Tbs Orange Essence
* Flaked Almonds
Method:
1. Peel and Core the Pears and set aside.
2. In a large saucepan add the water, sugar vanilla & spices bring to the boil then lower to a simmer. Add in the Pears and cook for 20 mins or until tender not mushy. Remove from the heat and allow to cool. *you may need to add a small weight to keep the Pears submerged in the suyrup.
3. In a medium sized bowl add all the ingredients from element 2 and crumble well with your fingertips until bread crumb like consistency. Add a little water at a time util you have a smooth dough. Wrap in glad wrap set aside for 10 mins.
4. After 10 mins roll out the dough to 3 mm thick. Cut out 6 x 8cm round shapes and 6 x 25mm strips about 24cm long. Use this to create your tart shells using a tart ring. Bake for 8 - 10 mins until cooked. set aside to cool.
5. In a medium saucepan add the cream and bring to a boil then turn off the heat. Add the chocolate & butter and stir until you have a smooth glossy finish, then add the orange essence. Set aside.
6. Pour the chocolate mixture into the tart shells sprinkle with the flaked almonds and put in the fridge to set for about 1/2 hour.
7. To serve, place the tarts on your serving plate and place poached pear onto the filled shells. Reheat the remaining chocolate sauce element and pour on top of the Pears coating only half.
Enjoy!
Method:
1. Preheat over to 180oC (356oF or Gas Mark 4)
Moroccan Toasted Pumpkin Soup
Difficulty **
Makes 4
Prep Time 10 mins
Baking Time 35 mins
Cooking Time 10 mins
* 1.1kg of your favourite Pumpkin diced into roughly 4cm cubes
* 1 Whole Spanish Onion finely sliced
* 1/2 Fennel Bulb finely sliced
* 500mls Stock (either vegetable or chicken)
* 3 Tbs Morocco Spice Blend (purchase on the spice store)
* Good pinch of flaked Sea Salt
* Olive oil
* 50mls cream (could use more stock or a light cream as an alternative)
Method:
1. Preheat over to 180oC (356oF or Gas Mark 4)
2. Combine the diced pumpkin, sliced fennel and onions in a large mixing bowl with the Morocco Spice blend, oil & Salt. Mix thoroughly to ensure all ingredients are coated well. Transfer to a roasting tray and put in the oven for 35 mins or until golden and cooked through.
3. Once cooked transfer to a saucepan and add the stock and cook for a further 10 mins. Turn the head off Whiz with a blender / bar mix , add the cream then serve.
*Try to use a salt reduced stock as it can overpower the dish.
Simple Pumpkin Soup
Difficulty *
Makes 4
Prep Time 10 mins
Cooking Time 45 mins
* 1.1kg of your favourite Pumpkin diced into roughly 4cm cubes
* 1 Whole Spanish Onion finely sliced
* 1lt Stock (either vegetable or chicken)
* 1Tbs Heaven Spice Blend (purchase on the spice store)
* Good pinch of flaked Sea Salt
* 50g Butter or Olive oil (Butter is a little more indulgent)
* 50mls cream (could use more stock or a light cream as an alternative)
Method:
1. Dice up Pumpkin put in a bowl and set aside
2. Finely slice the Spanish onion and add to a large saucepan with butter & allow to sweat with the salt for 5 mins on a low and slow heat
3. Add the pumpkin and again allow to sweat all together gently for 10 mins.
4. Before the pot beings to dry out add the Stock give it a good stir and bring up to the boil and then lower to a simmer for approx 25 - 30 mins.
5. Once cooked take off the heat, add the cream and whiz with a blender/bar mix etc. Serve with some crunchy herb bread with a little bit of melted cheese.
*Be mindful to choose a salt reduced stock as it can take over the flavour of the dish
Panna Cotta #Vanillasundayze
Difficulty *
Makes 5
Prep Time 10 mins
Cooking Time 5 mins
Cooling Time 10 mins
Refrigeration time 3-5 hours
* 600ml thickened cream
* 60g caster sugar
* 2Tbs gelatin powder or Gelatin sheets (Preferrable)
* 1 Vanilla Pod
Method:
1. In a small bowl add 60mls cold water and sprinkle gelatin powder on top in a thin layer. (Set aside)
2. Pour Cream into a heavy based pot, add the sugar & vanilla bean and bring to a simmer. Add in the gelatin & whisk for a couple of minutes. Take off the heat and set aside to cool.
3. once the mixture has cooled (roughly 10 mins)
4. Remove Vanilla pod and pour in the creamy mixture into molds ** if you haven't got any molds use small coffee cups. Fill them and put in the fridge to set.
5. To serve run a small knife around the mold / cup to loosen the dessert, give it a little jiggle and it should slide out easily. If its being a little stubborn stick the cup in a shallow bowl of hot water to melt the sides ever so slightly. Plate up with your favourite berries & chocolate.
Most importantly though is to experiment! challenge yourself and try all your favourite flavours!
Scandinavian Grilled Lamb
Difficulty *
Serves 4-6
Prep Time 5 mins
Marinade Time 4-6 Hours
Cooking Time 20 - 25 mins
Resting Time 10 mins
* 1.2kg Lamb Shoulder
* 3 Tablespoons Juniper Berries
* 1 Tablespoon Pink Peppercorns (or 1 teaspoon black peppercorns)
* 2 Tablespoons Fennel Seeds
* 1 Tablespoons Salt
* 1 Tablespoon Dark Brown Sugar
* 2 Tablespoons Apple Cider Vinegar
* Olive oil
Method:
1. Gently toast the whole spices for 2-3 mins on a medium heat
2. Add your toasted spices along with the Salt and Sugar into a Mortal and Pestle (or coffee grinder, blender) wizz together into a powder like form then sift into a small ball.
3. In a larger mixing bowl add 1/2 the spice mix with the Apple Cider Vinegar and Olive oil to make a paste. Apply all over the lamb and let it marinade for at least 4 - 6 hours
4. Put in the over for approximately 25 mins on 150oC (302oF) (Gas Mark 2) being mindful that ideally you want this to come out a little bit pink in the middle.
5. Take out of the oven and drizzle with a little honey and put back in the oven for a further 5 mins.
6. Once cooked it is critical to let it rest at least for 10 minutes, slice & serve.
**There will be a lot of juice that comes out of the lamb, be sure to pour some of these juices back on top of your lamb.
**I have noted only use half the spice mix the first time you make this dish as you can gauge the intensity to your taste.
Enjoy!
Lamb Shank Medley
Difficulty ***
Serves 4
Prep Time 30 mins
Cooking Time 2 hours
Resting Time 10 mins
* 4 Lamb Shanks
* 1 Red Onion (finely chopped)
* 2 Large Carrots (finely diced)
* 2 lengths of Celery (finely diced)
* 3 cloves garlic
* 2 Tbs Tomato paste
* 1 Tbs Sugar
* 2 Tsp Salt
* Sprig Rosemary
* Sprig Thyme
* 80 g plain flour (to dust the shanks before browning)
* 3 Tbs Ras El Hanout (check out the store)
* 4 Whole Cloves
* 6 Juniper Berries
* 2 Cinnamon Quills
* 2 Bay leaf
* 400 ml Red Wine
* 200 ml Marsala (fortified wine)
* 500 ml Stock (I use vegetable stock)
Method:
1. In a bowl or large resealable bag add the flour and Ras El Hanout, mix until combined then dust your Shanks in the flour until lightly dusted on all sides. Turn on a pan to High, drizzle the shanks with a little olive oil and begin to brown in the pan until caramelized on all sides. (be careful as the pan may splatter) Once all the Shanks are browned set aside.
2. In a large pot on a medium heat add
a generous amount of olive oil and add in the finely diced onions, carrots and celery allow these to sweat down along with the Rosemary & Thyme.
3. Once sweated down add the Tomato paste & Garlic and cook out for another 5 mins until thickened. (At this stage you may need to adjust the temperature so the tomato paste doesn't burn)
4. Add the Wine & Marsala to deglaze the pot being mindful to stir thoroughly to get all the sticky goodness from the bottom of the pan. Next stack the shanks by lying them down on their side and put them in a circle tip to toe so it looks like you have a 'ring' of lamb shanks. If you have more than 4 keep stacking the rings as high as the pot will go)
5. Next add the stock to just cover the shanks, add in salt, sugar, cinnamon quills, bay leaf, juniper berries & cloves & bring up to the boil, then turn down to a medium heat for 2 hours. (**A spice ball is recommended for all the whole spices here, alternatively you can cut up a piece of muslin to create a little spice bag)
6. During the cooking time, check to see if a slight 'foam' comes to the surface (this is normal) you will just need to scrape off this foam by skimming with a ladle. To skim simply lower the ladle just below the surface of the liquid and skim away the foam. Repeat if necessary. (this step is done to give you a nice glossy sauce at the end)
7. At the 2 hour mark the shanks will be super tender and there is a 99% chance they will fall off the bone if you are not gentle. So carefully pull them out, set aside and cover with foil.
8. Remove the Spice ball/ Muslin cloth and turn the head back on high. Reduce the liquid by 1/4. (If you wanted to intensify the flavour you could add more Marsala and a touch more Ras El Hanout at this stage)
9. Serve you shanks to your serving plate and ladle on a generous amount of the sauce. This is best when you serve it with creamy parmesan mash potato.
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