An autumn delight - Mulled cranberry & fennel soup

Today i came across the wonderful revelation that autumn is finally upon us. Seasonally, i know that the autumn fayre does not really mellow down into autumn for the next few weeks. But there are things i like about late summer that give us a hint of the richness of autumn.

In readiness for the wondrous season (often a chefs favourite, the autumn), I decided that as the weather was getting cooler, i would bring forward a few weeks a taste of the autumn. Embodied here, in this intruiging soup...

"Mulled cranberry & fennel soup".

More of a broth really. But not to worry about semantics. Here's the good bit:

Ingredients (serves about 10)

1 vanilla pod, opened

1/2 carton orange juice

1/2 carton cranberry juice

100g fresh cranberries, or cranberry compote

1 whole star anise

1 tsp mixed spice

about 6 green peppercorns

3 bay leaves

3 large red onions or about 6 shallots

3 cloves garlic (crushed)

1 litre vegetable stock

1 orange, zested and juiced

large glass red wine

Ill warn you now, this may take a while...

First things first. Chop the onions and fennel into thin slices, the shape doesnt mater so much really we are going to caramelise them at some juncture. if you haven't already, zest the orange and juice it, and crush the garlic. Have your vegetable stock heating up also in a pan, to minimise cooking time.

In a heavy bottomed pan, put the onions, garlic, mixed spices and peppercorns onto a very low heat, stirring occasionally. Do not add any fat or oil whatsoever, we are aiming here to extract the sugar from the onions, which is best done slowly.

After a little while you will notice things getting a little sticky. Not to worry this is exactly what we wanted to achieve. At this point add the wine and the vanilla pod, and allow it to reduce by half. You can turn up the heat at this point if you like.

Once reduced, add the star anise, fennel, cranberry juice,orange juice and zest, bay leaves and the cranberries, and allow also to reduce by half. Pour in the stock, and allow to simmer until reduced by a third.

Strain and decant into your required serving apparatus. A very autumnal and warming broth awaits.

The gripes of a friday

Infuriating!

Why do chefs write menus? For me it is a work of development, comprising a balance between creativity, resourcefulness, display of skill, sensory stimulation involving all five physical senses, an appeasement to the profit margin & a focus on customer satisfaction. there are times however, when I wonder why we bother.

The whole operation of the professional kitchen spirals out from the menu. the ordering and selection of ingredients, staffing costs, labour time, preparation an service are all carefully (or should be) considered in the development & design of a menu, aside from the pleasure and sensory reception of the physical senses. 

For many professional chefs the menu is the focus of dedicated application & passion within their lives. Case in point, i spend between forty and sixty hours per week at work, approximately 5 hours sleeping each day. Seven hours per week (or thereabouts) traveling to and from work, and have two days off per week (that is approximately fourty eight hours, give or take the ending and beginning of the next and previous shift). This leaves approximately sixteen hours per week (aside from my days off and sleeping time) at home (that's an average of about two  to three hours per day). Approximately half of that time is spent on research & development regarding food, and menu.

Thus as you may have gathered a chef's life is pretty much that. Being a chef (as previously stated) this all spirals out from the menu. I have no gripe with that. I accept that my time is predominantly applied in servitude to the menu, its development & preparation, its operation & service and the embodiment of many hours (and sometimes days) of hard work.

My gripe is the lack of appreciation, the defiance and ignorance of the general public. Today we had a customer offer an insulting question (intentional or otherwise) to a member of staff. The dish, a stuffed, eight ounce chicken breast filled with apricot & brie, wrapped in parma ham, and served with a fondant potato & sauteed fine beans, and a white butter sauce (buerre blanc to you foodies). Priced at less than ten pounds (GBP), and clearly labelled on the menu as to tis composition and components on the menu. 

They asked "Do I not get veg with it?"

My conclusions regarding this incident reached two possible junctures. Either the customer was extremely greedy (and i have no problems with that, we serve seasonal vegetables as a side order), and had no concept of how much a fair price for the dish should value. Or perhaps they have little or no appreciation for the application and hours of labour that have passed since the sparks of imagination and inspiration ignited the birth of that particular menu (we operate several). Or perhaps both.

My conclusion was indeed secured when they ordered chips as a side order. Clearly suffering from carbohydrate addiction, and the need to fulfill the cravings that they subject themselves to.  The insult to the price of the dish also conveyed their greed in their desire for a "something for nothing" approach to life.

I often jest about customers writing their own menus. "Give them a pen and paper" I often joke. Yet the undertone is quite serious. My ideal situation involving this would be to arrange a day when customers can book an appointment with senior chefs such as myself.  They can spend as long as they like in development of a menu tailored to their very likings and requirements. Consequently we will (according to our salaries) work out an hourly rate, then invoice them for the amount of time they spend with us. Would this be an adequate means of appeasement?

Walk into a department store, on any high street. Pick out an item that takes your liking, but upon point of sale ask for ti to be customised in some way. And complain about the price. "I love this kettle" say. "But im not entirely fond of the colour of the switch, and the cord is a bit too long, and its two centimeters taller than I expected". Can you alter it for me?

What would happen I wonder? Would your sales assistant call the designers and manufacturers in an attempt to alter your product? I very much doubt it. Unless of course, you were willing to foot the bill.

Winter Warmers - Carrot & Ginger Soup

Carrot & Ginger Soup

Ginger provides a fragrant flavour that bridges the gap between sweet & savoury. Using it in this instance provides a means to fight off the cold this winter, with a soup that is best served hot, but holds equal merit when cold. Using a root vegetable such as coarrots also provides a winter dimension to it, with earthy and sweet flavours. 

Ingredients

3 tablespoons of butter, or a few of splashes of olive oil (or half of each)

Small pinch of salt

1lb large carrots, chopped

1 medium onion, chopped

4 tbsp brown sugar

1 stalk of celery, peeled and chopped (peeling gets rid of the "strings")

1 teaspoon ginger, chopped or grated. You can use ground ginger if you like, but be careful otherwise the flavour may be too overpowering. 

5 cups chicken broth or stock; or use vegetable stock for vegetarian version.

Preparation

Heat butter or oil in soup pot on medium low. Add the chopped onions, carrots, celery and salt. Saute until onions and carrots are soft. Add ginger. Cook for a minute or two more. (If ginger is chopped instead of grated, add it earlier). Add the sugar until caramelised, then add the stock.  Bring to the boil, then cook for 20 minutes at a simmer.

Use blender, food processor or hand-held immersion blender to puree the soup.

Serve with a swirl of cream, and chopped herbs to garnish

Enjoy!

The perfect buffet addition

Canape's and other little morsels are ideal for buffets and small functions. They add an amount of elegance and finesse to a function when presented elegantly, and the contrast of flavours presented can also provide a pleasant tone for you and your guests. This recipe, presents a beautiful and classic combination, providing earthy tones and sweet overtones, levelled out with a fromage presentation. I will be serving these at the Church Lodge Christmas party, which amongst other ides should go down a storm.

This recipe is not one of my own, although there have been modifications made to it to suit various tastes of my own, and that of other guests. Hereby I will share it with you, in order for you to also enjoy its beauty.

Ingredients:

1 venison steak (the leaner the better)
12 small pastry cases, mini
4 tbsp cranberry sauce, preferably home-made
4 tbsp Soured cream (In this instance i prefer to use creme fraiche,with chopped chervil or parsley)
1 tbsp chopped chives
1 pinch long chives, to garnish
1 pinch ground black pepper

Method

 

Heat a ridged griddle pan until smoking hot. Put the venison on the griddle to sear for 2-3 minutes. Turn over and cook for a further three minutes. This is for rare meat cook for 2-3 minutes longer for medium rare. 

(Please be aware that these guidelines are dependant on thickness of steak, fat content, weight etc, and should be adjusted accordingly)

Lift onto a plate, cover with foil and leave to rest for ten minutes to allow the Venison to relax. You can leave this to become completely cold. Slice up as thinly as you can. 

Set out the pastry cases on a tray. Spoon a teaspoon of cranberry sauce into each case. Top with a twisted slice of rare venison. Add a blob of soured cream, a sprinkling of chopped chives and a couple of long chives to garnish. Grind over some black pepper and serve immediately before they go soggy. 

Enjoy!

Home favourites... (1) - Home baked oven "chips"

Since the weather was rather dreary, and the temperature unfavourable in our (great?) city today, I considered something homely would be served at the table of Church Lodge. The best part about this home favourite, is it can be achieved remarkably on a budget, and also is moderately healthy too. 

As an accompaniment, this recipe is very versatile. It can be served with anything from chicken legs to chilli. As with anything, the key is in the preparation.

You will need (Ingredients)

Dried garlic (milled if possible)

Sea Salt

4 Baking Potatoes

Olive Oil

Hot water

Equipment:

Moderately Hot Oven (220 C)

Baking Tray

Greaseproof paper / non stick mat

Saucepan

Sharp knife you are comfortable with

Cutting Board

 - Mise En Place - 

I have chosen baking potatoes for this recipe in particular, because of their versatility, and cheapness. They are a very soft potato, when cooked properly, and have a remarkable sweetness especially in the peel. If you shop carefully, you can find baking potatoes phenomenally cheap. Stores like Aldi, and Netto, can provide baking potatoes by moderately large amounts. (Last checked at £0.69 GBP per 2.5kg). This also works out at about (excluding energy costs) about £0.12 GBP per portion.

Cut the potatoes into chip sizes. Don't worry about the peel, as keeping the peel on will provide you with an extra dimension of flavour and texture. I like them quite chunky, but it is entirely up to you. If you have a fancy tool that can cut chips for you, by all means use it. I prefer to get to knowing the knife personally, but this isn't Haute cuisine, it's home cooking. Besides, after a hard day's work, you'll probably want to make this as effortless as possible.

In the saucepan, put enough water in to cover the chips, then bring to the boil. 

Time / money saving tip: You can of course save time (and money, what with the rising gas prices) by boiling the kettle beforehand. This can give you a very quick source of hot water. :D

Add the chips to the water if you have not done so already, then leave to simmer for about 6 minutes. When the chips have just begun to soften on the outside (you can test this by poking with a knife), strain them off and put them on your greaseproofed oven tray. If you have a teflon mat, I would highly recommend its use in place of greaseproof paper. They provide a flawless application for oven work,  and literally nothing is going to stick to it. They are inexpensive (about £3) and will last for years if looked after properly.

Drizzle the chips generously with olive oil, and season with the dried garlic and sea salt

Place in the preheated oven on the middle shelf. Give them a shuffle every five minutes or so, to ensure even cooking. When golden brown, slightly crisp on the outside, and soft on the inside, they are ready to eat. They should take about 20 - 30 minutes, depending on the efficiency of your oven.

Time saving tip: You can of course prepare the chips in the morning before you leave for work, play, or other mischief. Be sure to keep them under water however, or they will have spoiled upon your return.

Tuna Steak with roast tomato & pepper salsa

This recipe is added especially for Steve, one of the waiters in the venue I work at. It uses fragrant and sweet flavours to complement a really "meaty" fish. Tuna is a versatile meat and can be used in a multitude of ways. This recipe uses more of a latin influence, which is also versatile in its demeanour.

Ingredients (Serves 4)

4 Tuna Steaks
3 Tbsp Tomato Paste / Tomato Puree
6 Cherry Tomatoes
1 red, 1 green, 1 yellow capsicum (bell) pepper
1 red onion
2 Cloves Garlic (Crushed)
Juice of Half a lemon
2 tbsp balsamic vinegar
1 tsp chilli flakes
2 tbsp brown sugar
tbsp Olive Oil
50ml water.
Sea Salt & Black Pepper

Equipment

Cutting board, and sharp knife you are comfortable with
Heavy bottomed saucepan
Steak Pan / Frying Pan
Roasting tin
Wooden spoony

Method

Peel the red onion, and dice finely (brunoise). Take the storks out of the peppers and cut these in the same fashion. Cut the cherry tomatoes in half, then put them into the roasting tray. Coat with a tbsp of olive oil, then put into the oven at approximately 200 degrees Celsius for approximately 10 - 12 minutes.

Place the pan on a moderately low heat, add the olive oil, onions, peppers and garlic, and saute slowly until soft. Do not be tempted to turn up the heat as this will encourage the vegetables to burn.

When the onions have softened, add the chilli flakes and stir for approximately a minute, then add the lemon juice and balsamic vinegar. Keep the same heat until the vinegar has redu ced to a syrup, then add the brown sugar. Stir the mixture continually, adding the tomato paste as you do this. Add the water, then stir together. Turn the heat down to simmer, then allow salsa to reduce by a third.

Remove the tomatoes from the oven, and add to the finished salsa.

In the frying pan, heat strongly 1 tbsp olive oil. Season the tuna steak with the sea salt & black pepper, then fry the tuna for 10 seconds each side. If the tuna is very thick, seal the edge around the steak also, and allow to rest for a minute.

Serve on a main course plate, salsa first, then place the tuna on top.

Enjoy!

Tomato & Goats Cheese Tart

The tomato & goats cheese tart is a popular appetiser dish, using a light and contemporary Mediterranean approach. Using Ingredients such as creamy goats cheese, fresh basil, extra virgin olive oil and juicy beef tomatoes, this is a fun dish that many of our customers favour.

Ingredients (for one tart)

2 thin slices of beef tomato (the riper the better)

½ one shallot

2 tbsp balsamic vinegar

1 leaf of  fresh basil

2 slices goats cheese (be sure to remove the rind first!)

1 squares of filo pastry (approx 5’’ square)

2tsp extra virgin olive oil

Pinch black pepper

Equipment

Heavy bottomed pan

Preheated oven (to 180 degrees C)

Sharp knife you are comfortable with

Chopping board

Shallow Yorkshire pudding tin (with depressions approx. 3’’ in diameter)

Method:

Peel & chop the shallot into thin slices, about a matchstick thickness (julienne). In the heavy bottomed pan, add 1tsp olive oil, then place on a medium heat until the oil has heated so that it moves easily around the pan. Add the sliced shallots, then stir periodically for about 5 minutes until they begin to soften. Be sure to not have the heat too high, otherwise the shallots will burn. Our intention here is to release the sugars from the shallot.

When the shallots have begun to “froth” after softening, stir for another minute. Add the balsamic vinegar then reduce until the vinegar has turned to a syrup (the consistency of honey, respectively). Remove the reduction from the heat and allow to cool.

Roll the basil leaves into very small sausage shapes tightly, and slice very thinly. The slices should give appearances of small spirals. This cut is called “chiffonade”. Add one third of the chiffonades of basil to the balsamic reduction, and allow to infuse for approximately 15 mins.

Grease the Yorkshire pudding tin. In the Yorkshire pudding tin, layer the two squares of pastry so that they overlap at right angles. This should give you a “sunburst” appearance with the edges of the pastry. Make sure that the pastry lines the tin so that it will “cup” the mixture we are about to put into it.

Put one slice of beef tomato in the centre of the tart, and overlap with one slice of goats cheese. Add half of the basil chiffonades on top, then glaze with the shallot and balsamic reduction. Repeat this process with the other slice of tomato and goats cheese. Add the remaining basil on top. Drizzle the tart with the olive oil, then put into the preheated oven for approximately 4 -5 minutes until the pastry has gone golden brown, and the cheese has begun to melt.

Serve hot or cold, with dressed seasonal leaves.