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.

Spinach & Feta Filo Parcels

The spinach & feta cheese parcel is a popular main course, which is favoured by vegetarian and meat eating customers alike. Using ingredients such as filo pastry, with feta cheese & spinach, a healthy direction is taken whilst maintaining a luxurious, yet rustic Mediterranean approach. This dish has a flavour that is not invasive, whilst providing a delicate balance between a slightly salty cheese, with the sweetness and silkiness of buttered spinach.

Ingredients (for one portion):

Approx 400g Feta Cheese

12 Leaves Fresh Spinach

½ clove crushed garlic

1 Tsp lemon Juice

1 tsp butter (unsalted)

2 teaspoons whipping cream

2 sheets filo pastry (approx 10’’ x 8’’)

2 Leaves fresh basil

1 egg. Beaten.

Equipment:

Heavy bottomed saucepan

Greaseproof lined baking tray

Pastry Brush

Wooden spoon

Mixing bowl

Sharp knife you are comfortable with

Teaspoon (for measurement purposes)

Cutting board

Preheated oven (to 200 degrees C).

Cold hands.

Method:

For the spinach & feta mix, place the butter into the saucepan and heat gently on the hob until melted. Add the crushed garlic and spinach, and stir for approximately three minutes until the spinach has begun to soften. Extract garlic and spinach from the saucepan into a mixing bowl. Add the cream, feta cheese and lemon juice, and stir together with a wooden spoon. Chop the basil leaves into a fine confetti (approximately ½ a centimetre square) and stir into the mix.

Lay out one sheet of pastry with the shorter edge towards you, and spoon half of the mix onto the edge closest to you leaving a gap of about an inch at each edge. Align the mix into a sausage shape about an inch thick.

Take the edge closest to you, using the gap to cover the mix on top, then roll the parcel until the pastry just covers the entire mix. Fold in the edges (this assures the mix does not leak in the oven) and continue to roll the parcel until the sheet is used up. Repeat this process for the other sheet.

Place the parcels on the baking tray, then use the beaten egg to glaze the parcels with a pastry brush, then put on the middle shelf of the preheated oven for approx 10-12 minutes, until the pastry is golden brown.

Serve on a warmed main course plate, with dressed seasonal leaves.

The Perfect Yorkshire Pudding...

Long has it been the contest at The Church to create the biggest and best Yorkshire Pudding. Every Sunday we hold with baited breath how successful our Yorkshire Puddings are going to be. This Sunday, I decided I was going to use a modification of the standard mix, in order to create height as well as excellent flavour in this classic British accompaniment.

Ingredients:

1 Pint of eggs
1 Pint of plain flour
1 Pint whole milk
25 ml Malt Vinegar
2 Chicken Stock Cubes
Sunflower / Vegetable Oil

Equipment:

Yorkshire pudding tray (One with deeper pots should give taller yorkshire puddings)
Hot oven (Approx 200 degrees C)
Large mixing bowl
Pint Glass (or smaller vessel if required)
Whisk or blender

there shouldn't be an issue. Using these proportions, the mix should yield approximately 48 Yorkshire Puddings or so. For a smaller yield, use a smaller container. As long as the flour / milk /egg ratio remains the same, this hsould not affect the mixtures composition.

The presence of the vinegar in the mix acts as an agitating agent, allowing the mixture to rise quickly amongst the hot oil (using displacement theory). The chicken stock gives a wonderful meaty flavour to the yorkshire puddings, and since it is in the form of a powder, will not affect the baking process.

Method:

Preheat oven to 200 degreees C.

In the pint glass measure out a pint of milk, a pint of flour, and a pint of eggs, Combine in the mixing bowl, and wisk together until smooth. If you wish to use a blender this is alot quicker, and can get more air into the mixture. Sieving the flour beforehand also works tremendously.

Add the vinegar (if using a smaller amount of mixture, adjust accordingly) and crumble the stock cubes into the mixture. Whisk again, until smooth.

If you wish to allow the mixture to rest, then do so, however this mixture requires little resting, and can be used straight away.

In your Yorkshire Pudding tray add a tablespoon of oil to each Yorkshire Pudding compartment. once the tray is oiled, put it in the oven to heat up the oil. Remove the tray from the oven after approximately 3 minutes, and add enough mixture to fill each Yorkshire Pudding pot approximately 3/4 full. Put the tray in the oven, and come back in approximately 20 minutes.

DO NOT open the oven until then otherwise your prized Yorkshires will deflate.

The finsihed product:



When I made these on Sunday i added a pint glass to the image to show the scale and height of these wonderful Yorkshire puddings. Enjoy!