November Recipies from 4°C The Cool Food Company

November

Chard and Bacon

Cook 250g of thinly sliced Smoked Bacon or Pancetta in a pan with a couple of tablespoons of Olive Oil (not Extra Virgin) slowly until crisp. Meanwhile, remove the stems from 1kg of Rainbow Chard and slice them crossways (to reduce the likelihood of stringiness) into strips about ½ cm wide. Wash and dry the leaves of the Chard thoroughly and cut into 2cm strips. Heat 2tbs Olive Oil in a heavy pan and sauté the Chard Stems until almost tender, add the Leaves and continue cooking gently for a couple of minutes.

Crush ¼ clove of Garlic and mix this with 1 tbs Lemon Juice. Pour in the oil from the Bacon pan and whisk. Add more light olive oil if necessary and warm through. Season to taste. Pile the Chard onto a large, hot plate and pour on the dressing. Break the cooked Bacon into pieces and scatter them over the chard.

Jerusalem Artichoke Soup with Seared Scallops

Melt 1tbs Butter and add 2 sprigs Thyme and 4 chopped Banana Shallots and cook gently till tender. Peel and dice 500g Jerusalem Artichokes and plunge into lemon water to keep them white. Add them to the pan when Shallots have softened and cook gently in the Butter for a few minutes. Add 600ml Milk and 500 ml Chicken Stock. Season with Salt and White Pepper and simmer for 15-20 minutes or until the artichokes are soft. Remove the Thyme, blend the soup until very smooth and sieve to remove any remaining fibres. Adjust seasoning.

Sear a dozen Scallops (corals removed) in butter and drain. Pour the soup into four bowls, float the Scallops in the soup and scatter on a few Chervil leaves.

MUSHROOM FLORENTINE

Lightly brown (cap side first) a kilo mixture of Chestnut, Cup, Button and (a few) Wild Mushrooms in butter.

Line a 10 inch, ovenproof serving dish with wilted Spinach and season with Salt, Black Pepper and Nutmeg. Sprinkle with 200g grated Parmesan Cheese. Arrange the sautéed Mushrooms over the Spinach. Season with a little Garlic Salt. Cover with a light Mornay Sauce (Bechamel, Cheese and a little Mustard). Bake for 20 minutes at 350 degrees until brown. Serve with thick slices of grilled Focaccia Bread and Shaved Parmesan.

Banana Cheesecake with Toffee Sauce

Using 500g of Cream Cheese and 100g of Plain Yoghurt, 6 medium Bananas, and 4 Eggs 150mls of Honey. Blend all the ingredients in a liquidizer until smooth and creamy. Crush a packet of Hobnobs or Digestives and mix with 200g of melted Butter, press this into the bottom of a deep10’ tart ring. Pour in the Banana mixture and bake for 30 minutes or until set in a medium hot oven. Allow to cool and serve with a Toffee Banana Caramel (made by adding a little Double Cream, Butter and sliced Bananas to a freshly boiled Caramel).

Jerusalem Artichoke Soufflé

Cook together 30g of Butter and 30g of Flour. Gradually stir in 250ml of scalded Milk. Cool slightly, mix in 3 Egg Yolks, 200g of cooked, diced Artichoke and a little grated Parmesan. Add a few Chives and Season. Whisk the Egg Whites to a peak and fold in.

Divide the mixture between 4 buttered ramekins and cook 'au bain-marie' at 180C to set (15-20min). Remove from the oven. When ready to serve, reheat and they will rise until light and fluffy.

Assemble some Green Beans and grilled Artichoke on a plate drizzle with Balsamic and Olive Oil and top with your soufflé.

Maris Piper and Shittake Gratin

Gently sweat 300g of ripped, de-stemmed Shi-itake Mushrooms with a little Butter, minced Garlic and fresh Rosemary. Add 2 pints of Single Cream. Season well, bring to simmering point, then take off the heat. Steam 1kg of washed Maris Pipers until they are only just cooked. Cool slightly, slice and arrange into an ovenproof ceramic dish. Pour the cream mixture over the sliced potatoes and cover with a buttered paper. Place in a moderately hot oven until the potatoes are cooked thoroughly, then press to slightly compact. Leave to cool. Cut into squares, rounds or use a generous spoonful to sit nicely with grilled fish or meat.

Celeriac Gnocchi with Wilted Roquette

Gently 'confit' a kilo of peeled and diced Celeriac with Olive Oil and a clove of Garlic in a heavy-bottomed pan until soft. Puree, mix in 3-4 Egg Yolks and add enough sieved Plain Flour to thicken the mixture enough to form into small 'patties'. Lightly dust with Flour and roll in a little Egg White Shallow fry until golden. Toss some trimmed Roquette in a pan with Butter and Black Pepper; arrange onto plates and top with the 'sautéed' Celeriac Gnocchi. You could garnish this dish with a Salsa 'Crudo' a mixture of roughly chopped Tomato, Capers, LimeJuice and freshly chopped Parsley. Alternatively you could bake the Gnocchi in the oven with some Spinach and a Tomato Fondue.

Aubergine Toscana

Slice, two or three large Aubergines and season well with Salt and Black Pepper. Sauté until golden and layer alternately in an oven proof dish with sliced ripe Vine Tomatoes. Season each layer with milled Pepper and finish on top with a mixture of cubed Ciabatta Bread, grated Parmesan Cheese, crushed Garlic and fresh Parsley. Sprinkle with Olive Oil and bake in a moderate oven until the topping is golden. Serve as a vegetarian main, an appetiser or hot on a buffet menu.

Rhubarb & Passionfruit Crème Brulée

Bake 1 kg of washed, sliced Rhubarb with a little Vanilla Sugar in a moderate oven until soft. Cool and spoon into 8-10 Ramekins. Chill well. Mix 200g of Caster Sugar with 16 Egg Yolks, stir in 1.5 litres of scalded Milk and Double Cream (equal measures). Return to the heat and stir continuously until the mixture thickens. Add 100ml of Passionfruit Puree and pour over the Rhubarb Compote into the ramekins, set into a 'Bain Marie' and cook at 130 C until firm to the touch. Chill well and sprinkle with Sugar, caramelise with a blowtorch and serve.