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The March Fruitbowl March is one of the trickiest months for the fruitbowl maker. Cape Peaches and Nectarines become scruffy, woolly-textured and eventually, un-buyable. Apricots and Cherries will finish just as the month starts. By the end of the month, even Plums become bland, although they should continue to look okay for a while. Using Dried Apricots, powdered Dried Figs and Prunes adds interest, and if you can afford it, incorporate Toffee (Medjool) Dates, too. Grapes will start the month well, but may show signs of deterioration by the end. Clementines and Satsumas will finish, so you’ll have to choose between Mineolas and Ortalinas (AKA Mandoras and Ortaniques). Apples will remain good and there will be a fair selection available. Pears look like being difficult this March as both the northern and southern hemisphere seasons have been hit by bad weather. Tropical and exotic fruits available in March include Pomegranates, Kiwis, Sharonfruit, Dragon Fruits Grenadillos, Passionfruit, Tamarillos, Rambutans and occasional Kiwanos and Babacos.
Steamed Bramley and Toffee Sponge In a 2 pint pudding bowl, put 120g of good Toffee, broken into pieces. Add 180ml of Double Cream and a pich of Salt (optional). Microwave, removing to stir occasionally, until all the toffee is dissolved, and makes a thick, brown sauce. Remove all the Sauce apart from about 3 tablespoons, and set aside. Mix together 175g sieved Self-Raising Flour, 1 tsp Baking Powder, 75g Dark Muscavado Sugar, 100g Soft Brown Sugar, 175g Softened Butter, 1 Tsp Vanillla Essence, and 3 Free Range Eggs with an electric mixes until well combined. Fold in 100g cubed Bramley Apples and pour this mixture onto the toffee sauce in the basin. Place some greaseproof (pleated to allow for expansion) over the basin and tie firmly round the rim. Steam for about 2 hours, then warm the remaining Toffee Sauce and pour it over the pudding. Serve with Custard, Cream or Crème Fraiche
Purple Sprouting Broccoli and Goats Cheese Tart Line an 8 inch flan case with All-Butter Puff Pastry. Bake blind in an oven at Gas 6, or 200ºC. Steam or boil 250g of trimmed Purple Sprouting Broccoli until tender, then refresh in iced water. Reserve about 8 small florets, then liquidise the remainder in a blender with ¼ pint of Milk, ¼ pint Double Cream, 2 whole Eggs, ¼ tsp English Mustard, Sea Salt, Black Pepper and a grating of Nutmeg. Cut 2 small round Goats Cheeses into cubes and place in the pastry case with the reserved florets. Pour over the Broccoli mixture and bake in a medium oven (Gas 4, 180ºC) for around 20 minutes, or until the tart has set. Serve with a Roquette Salad and crushed, buttered English Harlequin or Italian New Potatoes.
Quick Red Cabbage ‘Sauerkraut’ Traditional ‘real’ Sauerkraut is made by mixing about 2 tsp Salt with each 2kg Cabbage. This mixture is then crammed hard into jars, topped up with Springwater and covered by a clean white cloth. The mixture is then left at 70ºF for 3 days, then at 50-60ºF for 3 weeks, after which time it is ready to eat. It is delicious, but takes time and courage. And the venture might cause your HACCP team-leader to have a seizure! So why not try our safe and quick recipe instead: Cook 60ml Olive Oil, 240ml Water and 30g Sugar in a large pan over medium heat until the sugar is melted. Add 1tsp Mustard Seeds 2 cloves Garlic (thinly sliced) and 1 large head of thinly sliced Red cabbage and simmer for 15-20 minutes until the cabbage is just soft. Season and serve warm with grilled meats, homemade burgers or sausages.
Garlic-laced Turnip and Potato Puree Boil a kilo of peeled and
quartered young Turnips and 400g of peeled Desiree or Harlequin
Potatoes, for 8 minutes and drain. Turn into a 12-inch heavy frying
pan and add 205ml of good Chicken or Vegetable Stock, 20 whole
peeled cloves of Garlic (not crushed), a generous grating of Nutmeg,
Sea Salt and freshly ground White Pepper. Cover and cook for about
30 minutes at a very slow bubble, adding more stock if sticking
is a problem. Stir often. Check that garlic is soft, then turn
up the heat and cook off any excess stock until mixture is almost
dry. Purée with 75g of Unsalted Butter in a food processor.
Taste and adjust seasoning and serve hot sprinkled with snipped
Chives. Serves 4 to 6.
Kale & Lentils Simmer 500g Red Lentils in
light Vegetable or Chicken Stock until tender. Cook 500g of Curly
Kale in boiling, well-salted water until tender. Use a big pan
and plenty of Water, because if the temperature drops too much
when the kale goes in it may turn khaki. Drain and refresh. Heat
2tbs Olive Oil in a large frying and stir-fry one chopped, de-seeded
Green Pepper, 1 Medium Onion (chopped), a 1 inch piece of Ginger
(finely chopped), 2 crushed Garlic Cloves and 2 tbs Sesame Seeds
over a high heat for 3-4 minutes. Add the drained Kale, cooked
Lentils, 3 tbs Stock and and cook until the vegetables are fully
tender. Stir in 2 tsp Lemon Juice, 1 tsp Soy Sauce and serve.
For a non vegetarian version, fry 250g chopped Bacon in the oil
before adding the onion etc.
Microwave Lemon Curd This is an amazingly quick and easy recipe. The curd can be used warm as a sauce for desserts. It is excellent in tarts, or if allowed to set, used as a spread. In a microwave-safe bowl, whisk
together 1lb Sugar and 6 Eggs until smooth. Stir in 220ml
of Lemon Juice, the Zest of 6 Lemons and 250g Melted Unsalted
Butter. Cook in the microwave for one minute intervals,
stirring after each minute until the mixture is thick enough
to coat the back of a metal spoon. Remove from the microwave,
and use straight away or pour into small sterile jars. Store
for up to three weeks in the refrigerator.
Pear and Prune Frangipan Tart Line a loose-bottomed fluted flan tin with your favourite sweet pastry and bake blind in a preheated oven (180°C/Gas 4). For the filling use equal quantities of Butter, Caster Sugar and Ground Almonds, a medium sized tart would need 250g of each; Cream the Butter and Sugar add the Almonds plus 3 beaten eggs and 50g of Plain Flour mix this carefully and add a small glass of Amaretto. To fill the Tart peel and slice 4 Pears and arrange into the Tart shell along with 100g of soaked Prunes. Cover the Pears and Prunes with the Frangipan mixture and bake for 45mins.When cooked the Frangipan should be golden brown. Yummy warm with Vanilla Bean Ice cream!
Snake Bean, Pepper and Aubergine Red Thai Curry. Thai Curries can be made using Convenience Pastes. But they lack that zingy freshness you only get from making the paste from scratch. Grind together, Red Birds-Eye Chillies, Shallots, Lime Leaves, Galangal, Lemon Grass, Garlic, Coriander, a little Cinnamon, Turmeric, and Cumin. Shrimp Paste is optional. Adjust according to taste. Cook about 300g of the Paste over a gentle heat add 2-3 tins of Coconut Milk. Add in 500g Snake Beans and 500g White Thai Aubergines. Simmer until almost cooked then add in some cut Mixed Peppers. To finish, take a little of the cooking liquid and blend with Fresh Basil and Coriander, add back to the curry and serve with Plain Boiled Rice.
Iced Berries and White Chocolate Sauce. Take 600g (150g per portion) of mixed, assorted Fresh Berries and place on a flat tray in the freezer for half an hour or so. Red Currants, Raspberries, Blackberries and Blueberries are the best for this dish (it is possible to use already Frozen Fruits). For 4 portions of sauce boil 400ml of Double Cream and pour over 300g of broken White Chocolate. Divide the lightly Frozen Berries between four plates, pour the hot white Chocolate sauce over the Frozen Berries and serve immediately. This dish is perfect for plating, for buffet style keep the Berries frozen and pour the sauce over at the last minute. A real St. Valentine's Day treat.
Vegetable Tagine with Saffron and Coriander Pre-heat the oven to 180C. Heat a little Olive Oil in a heavy based ovenproof pan. Stir in 2 roughly chopped Onions, 200g of minced Garlic, Chilli and Ginger. Add a pinch of Saffron, 1tsp of: crushed Fennel Seeds, Paprika, Ground Cumin and a Cinnamon stick. Cover and cook gently for 7-8 minutes until soft. Add 1kg of quartered Tomatoes, 100g of Tomato Purée and 2 Litres of Vegetable Stock, season with salt and pepper, and simmer for 30 minutes. Then add in 2kg of prepared and large diced; Potato, Carrot, Swede, Parsnip, Turnip, Butternut Squash and 2 bulbs of Fennel, cover and cook in the oven for 40-45 minutes, until the vegetables are tender. Finish with freshly chopped Coriander.
Sicilian Lemon Tart with Candied Orange Zest. Line a medium sized fluted tart ring (removable base) with Sweet Pastry. I normally use 250g Butter and 250g Icing Sugar (creamed) 3 Eggs, a little Vanilla and 630g Plain Flour. Be sure not to overwork. Chill, roll and line the tart case. Bake blind until the pastry sets off. For the filling: mix 9 Eggs, 250ml Double Cream, the zest and juice of 6 Lemons and 350g of Caster Sugar. Gently warm this mixture; be sure to keep it moving. Then pour into the Pastry Shell and place into a non-convection oven at 140 C until set. Chill and cut your tart, sprinkle with Icing Sugar and Glaze with a blowtorch. To garnish, boil some strips of Orange Zest in heavy Stock Syrup until tender and translucent. Cool and arrange around your Tart to finish nicely. Want a great idea for a new dish? Or would
you like to contribute a recipe to this column? Chef Tony
Carey is now our full-time Director of Product Development.
Call him any time on 0208 988 7074.
Turnips with Peas, Dill Butter & Bacon To make the Dill Butter: Blend 6 tbs
Butter and 3 tbs fresh Dill in small bowl. Season with Salt
and Black Pepper. This can be made 2 days ahead; cover and
chill. Bring to room temperature before use.
Cured Salmon and Fennel Salad For the Salmon: Mix 1tsp Sea Salt,
1 ½ tsp freshly ground Black Pepper and 1 ½
tsp Sugar in the juice of half a Lemon. Spread the mixture
over 2lb of trimmed Salmon Fillet (wild if you can afford
it). Wrap in plastic and refrigerate for a minimum of two
hours or, preferably, overnight.
Snake Bean, Pepper and Aubergine Red Thai Curry Thai Curries can be made using Convenience Pastes. But they lack that zingy freshness you only get from making the paste from scratch. And it's easier than you think! Red Paste: Grind together, Red Birds-Eye Chillies, Shallots, Lime Leaves, Galangal, Lemon Grass, Garlic, Coriander, a little Cinnamon, Turmeric, and Cumin. Shrimp Paste is optional. Adjust according to taste. Cook about 300g of the Paste over
a gentle heat add 2-3 tins of Coconut Milk. Add in 500g Snake
Beans and 500g White Thai Aubergines. Simmer until almost
cooked then add in some cut Mixed Peppers. To finish, take
a little of the cooking liquid and blend with Fresh Basil
and Coriander, then add back to the curry. Season and serve
with Plain Boiled Rice. This recipe works equally well with
other vegetables, poultry and fish.
Coeur a la Crème with Red Berry Compote For the Mousseline: strain 1 kg Greek Natural Yoghurt in a muslin overnight to drain off the excess liquid. Dissolve 6 Gelatine Leaves and150g Caster Sugar in 250ml of warmed Passion Fruit Puree. Leave to cool. Whip 1/2 litre Double Cream, fold all the ingredients together until well combined, taking care not to knock too much air out of the mixture. Add more Sugar if necessary. Refrigerate in a flat tray (2.5cm deep) until set. For the Compote: Dissolve 250g Caster Sugar in 500ml simmering Red Wine, Thicken slightly with Cornflour. Stir in 1kg Mixed Berries (Frozen are best at this time of year). Adjust sweetness and chill. To serve: cut out the Passion Fruit
Mousseline with a heart-shaped cutter and garnish with the
Compote.
Plum and Ginger Sponge with Honey Custard First, bake a kilo of stoned Plums with
200g of Sugar and 50g of For the Sponge: Cream together 280g of Butter, 250g of Caster Sugar and add 5 Eggs, one at a time, Fold in 400g of Self Raising Flour, mix in 200ml Milk. Spoon a little of the Plum mixture into buttered and floured individual moulds (this mixture should do at least 12 puddings). Fill to the top with the sponge mixture, cover with a disc of greaseproof, then wrap tightly in foil. Steam for 45 minutes. To make Honey Custard: Mix 250ml of Double Cream and 300ml of Milk, and bring to the boil. Pour over 150g of Honey mixed well with 5 Egg yolks, stirring continuously. Return to a gentle heat until the mixture will coat the back of a spoon. |
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