It's the beginning of september, so the thoughts are turning to autumn. But today's been warm. And I've actually had some time to spend some time cooking, so an easy supper has turned into:
2 chilled soups (pea with mint (nigella lawson forever summer) and leek with lemon grass (waitrose cooking witht the seasons); served with a warm twice cooked cheese souffle (variation of a delia smith summer cooking theme).
Then chicken with lemon and garlic, with greeen beans
And dessert - has to be figs; 2 variations (obviously I'm in "duo" mode; figs baked in montbazillac; and figs stewed with cassis and spices (4 spices, ginger, cinnamon) served with almond macaroons (made in the newly acquired 20 year old Kenwood Chef - so easy!) and vanilla fromage frais.
On va se regaler!
Sunday 2 September 2007
Friday 31 August 2007
tomato, garlic and pepper coulis
The first year of a proper vegetable plot - even if it hasn't had the care and attention I would have liked to give it - nevertheless gives you ingredients to use to create sauces and resources for the freezer.
This was dead easy: from the garden I picked cherry tomoatoes, garlic, chili peppers (just 1 or 2) and yellow peppers.
I bunged them in a roasting dish, adding oil and rock salt. Roasted them for 40 mins and then I passed them through the juicer (a mouli would do as well). And that's it - a pepper coulis for the winter months to use either with fish, or as a soup, or a pasta sauce.
This was dead easy: from the garden I picked cherry tomoatoes, garlic, chili peppers (just 1 or 2) and yellow peppers.
I bunged them in a roasting dish, adding oil and rock salt. Roasted them for 40 mins and then I passed them through the juicer (a mouli would do as well). And that's it - a pepper coulis for the winter months to use either with fish, or as a soup, or a pasta sauce.
lemon and garlic chicken
This one is based on a Nigella Lawson "forever summer" recipe. Makes a great friday evening supper for neighbours ... you arrive in the early hours of Thursday ... go for a quick swim Thursday evening ... and invite them to dinner. Then you haven't time to go shopping so look to see what's in the fridge and freezer.
2 to 3 hours cooking - so you can bung it all in and carry on with the phone calls, emails, work stuff that might be happening - or else retire back to the shade to finish the book you're reading ...
It's perfectly easy and basically storecupboard (if the chicken joints are in the freexer) (for 6): 6 chicken joints, 2 lemons, whole head of garlic, thyme, salt and pepper, white wine.
I separate out chicken pieces into smaller parts; bung them in an oven roasting dish (no pre-frying - yeah!); chuck in the rest of the ingredients; cover with lid or foil, and slow roast at 160 for 2 hours (or 210 for an hour and a half); take the foil off and give it another 30 mins.
You could be fancy and add black olives, turmeric, coriander, cinnamon and ginger and honey for a moroccan feel. But honestly - why bother? (well, then you could serve a storecupboard tabboulet mix if you want).
I then chopped up a few carrots, potatoes and onions and roasted them in a side dish; or you could do an epauture risotto; or just a salad and fresh bread.
then a local cheese that you bought alongside the bread at the local boulangerie.
And get the neighbours to bring the pudding (tonight it was my own greengages returned in the form of a crumble).
And if you've, for once, pre-laid the table, and you're still on the phone when the neighbours arrive - make sure you've left the corkscrew out and they can sort themselves out till you arrive to pull dinner out of the oven.
2 to 3 hours cooking - so you can bung it all in and carry on with the phone calls, emails, work stuff that might be happening - or else retire back to the shade to finish the book you're reading ...
It's perfectly easy and basically storecupboard (if the chicken joints are in the freexer) (for 6): 6 chicken joints, 2 lemons, whole head of garlic, thyme, salt and pepper, white wine.
I separate out chicken pieces into smaller parts; bung them in an oven roasting dish (no pre-frying - yeah!); chuck in the rest of the ingredients; cover with lid or foil, and slow roast at 160 for 2 hours (or 210 for an hour and a half); take the foil off and give it another 30 mins.
You could be fancy and add black olives, turmeric, coriander, cinnamon and ginger and honey for a moroccan feel. But honestly - why bother? (well, then you could serve a storecupboard tabboulet mix if you want).
I then chopped up a few carrots, potatoes and onions and roasted them in a side dish; or you could do an epauture risotto; or just a salad and fresh bread.
then a local cheese that you bought alongside the bread at the local boulangerie.
And get the neighbours to bring the pudding (tonight it was my own greengages returned in the form of a crumble).
And if you've, for once, pre-laid the table, and you're still on the phone when the neighbours arrive - make sure you've left the corkscrew out and they can sort themselves out till you arrive to pull dinner out of the oven.
Friday 9 February 2007
pork chop with quince
Marinated Grilled Pork Chop, Roasted Quinces, Grain Mustard Mash
By Richard Phillips
Ingredients:
1 pork chop, (bone cleaned and fat left on)
2 cloves garlic (blanched in milk)
100g Maldon sea salt
50g thyme
50g rosemary
100g sage (25g kept for garnish)
2 quinces (peeled, cut into quarters)
50g of butter
150g cooked mashed potato
50ml double cream
Dijon mustard
Method:
1. In a food processor blend all the picked herbs and salt together, using a knife cut inserts into the bone side of the pork chop and insert the garlic cloves. Rub the salt mix onto the fat side of the pork and marinade for 24hrs.
2. Remove the salt, rinse and pat dry. Place onto a griddle, colour on both side, then remove. Place into a frying pan, put into the oven for 10-12 mins 200 degree C, then remove from the pan and add a knob of butter. Place onto the hob and heat, add the quinces and toss until golden brown, add a tablespoon of beef / veal stock and bring to the boil.
3. Add the butter and cream to the mashed potato, season, then add the mustard.
4. Place the potato into the centre of the plate, carve the pork chop, place on top of the mash and then the roasted quinces on top of the pork, spooning over the roasting juices.
5. Garnish with deep fried sage leaves.
By Richard Phillips
Ingredients:
1 pork chop, (bone cleaned and fat left on)
2 cloves garlic (blanched in milk)
100g Maldon sea salt
50g thyme
50g rosemary
100g sage (25g kept for garnish)
2 quinces (peeled, cut into quarters)
50g of butter
150g cooked mashed potato
50ml double cream
Dijon mustard
Method:
1. In a food processor blend all the picked herbs and salt together, using a knife cut inserts into the bone side of the pork chop and insert the garlic cloves. Rub the salt mix onto the fat side of the pork and marinade for 24hrs.
2. Remove the salt, rinse and pat dry. Place onto a griddle, colour on both side, then remove. Place into a frying pan, put into the oven for 10-12 mins 200 degree C, then remove from the pan and add a knob of butter. Place onto the hob and heat, add the quinces and toss until golden brown, add a tablespoon of beef / veal stock and bring to the boil.
3. Add the butter and cream to the mashed potato, season, then add the mustard.
4. Place the potato into the centre of the plate, carve the pork chop, place on top of the mash and then the roasted quinces on top of the pork, spooning over the roasting juices.
5. Garnish with deep fried sage leaves.
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