Whitewell Pheasant Casserole

When I first started work at the Whitewell Hotel in 1971(now known as the inn at Whitewell) under Chef George McGuire. I used to dread the start of the shooting season as it meant that I had to dress limitless brace of pheasant for this simple but wonderful and very popular dish.

I always find that casseroles and stews are improved the day after they are prepared, and reheated, which makes this just what the doctor ordered for a dinner party, seeing that everything apart from any vegetables and potatoes you might want to serve with it, is ready! We like Potato Dauphinoise with this but it is simply mouth-watering with some good homemade warm crusty bread to sop up the juices.

Serves / Makes: six persons

Prep-Time: 20 minutes

Cook-Time: 2 hours

You Will Need;

• 2, pheasants, dressed and jointed
• 2, tablespoons beef dripping
• 1, large onion
• 1, large carrot
• 1, stick/rib of celery
• 1, bouquet garni, a parcel of thyme, parsley stalk and bay leaf, I like to wrap this up in a leek parcel
• 10 ounces, mushrooms, field if possible although we do use the meaty Portobello mushrooms
• 1 good pinch, Sea salt
• 1 good pinch, cracked black pepper
• 12 fluid ounces, red wine

Method:

1. Preheat the oven to 350/f or gas mark 4.
2. Chop the vegetables roughly.
3. Heat the beef dripping in a heavy frying pan and brown the jointed pheasant remove from the pan and place in a casserole dish.
4. Place the vegetables in the frying pan and cook for 2-3 minutes, add the red wine and bring to the boil.
5. Pour the mixture over the pheasant, season add the bouquet garni and cover, cook in the oven for 1 to 1½ hours until tender, if you want the juices a little thicker just reduce on the stove top until it is reduced as you would like it. Serve hot.

The hotel is situated in the hamlet of Whitewell near Dunsop Bridge in the Forest of Bowland, and when we lived there, it was a very popular spot for them as wanted to fish on the best 5-mile stretch of the river Hodder. As well as those who just wanted to explore this most stunning part of Lancashire, this area is/was known as Little Switzerland and named so it is said by Queen Victoria.

In the 1300’s The Inn at Whitewell was just a small manor house, lived in by the keepers of the Royal forest. The Royal connection remains as the Inn forms part of the Duchy of Lancaster Estate.

The Glens Tags: Lancashire, Whitwell, Game, Pheasant, Casseroles

Abel and Cole The Organic Source for London

 

The Glens Tags: Organic, Produce, London, Astrochef

Organic, Produce, London, Astrochef

We have been using Abel & Cole since the 31^st of January 2008 and have yet to find a negative aspect of this so wonderful company who offer a good quality selection of fruit, vegetables, meats, fish, dairy products, bread, store cupboard items and deli items, not forgetting ethical cleaning bits and pieces

With our very first order we chose the mixed organic fruit and veg box at £14.80 and we still get it, it is now only £15.95 still extremely fantastic value considering the current prices for organic fruit and veg in the supermarkets in fact Abel and Cole are consistently lower in price that the leading supermarkets.

The delivery used to be free and it is only in the last 2 months that they have had to start asking for 99p yes a whole 99 pence for delivery and speaking about the delivery each area of London is given a delivery day ours is Wednesday and our delivery is always made before 8am, the driver knows that I am up very early (05:30) and Molly usually lets the driver in to the apartment block at about 06;30 on her way out.

I have just got to mention the receipt they send with your order not only a receipt but a recipe card, a newsletter and other relevant info.

You will find that when ordering you can choose from just one time deliveries, weekly, every 2 weeks or for just one item every 8 weeks in fact Abel and Cole go out of their way to accommodate your delivery wishes.

We have a regular delivery every three weeks of the mixed organic fruit and veg box, organic eggs and the organic chicken legs at around £3.50 for a pack of 2. The weekend before our delivery we go online to see the special offers and order the extras we want for the next week or two, we spend on average £25 to £50 pounds every 3 weeks for a good 2 to 3 weeks worth of meals. It is a great service for fresh produce and home delivery

You can also say what you like and dislike in the fruit, veg and salad boxes and if there is something you don’t like it won’t appear in your box, it will be replaced with something else, it would be nice to state what you would like but remember they can only put in what the farmer has supplied they won’t accept and the farmer won’t supply substandard produce so trust them they really do know what they are doing.

The website is very easy to use, and you can see a week in advance what will be in your box, so you can add any extras you need and plan your meals. You can also see exactly what it will cost. You can add in your holidays on the website as well so they know when you don't need a delivery.

After a long wait they have a cookbook too It's called 'Cooking Outside the Box, The Abel and Cole Seasonal, Organic Cookbook'. You can order through their website or through amazon.co.uk

As a chef I believe that the fruit, veg and meats and fish that they supply can really inspire the whole family in the kitchen and being a chef I just have a thing about the reality that everything supplied is in its own season just as it should be. Abel and Cole demonstrate you can get first-class, traditional service from an internet based company.

To conclude the quality of produce is a cut above the supermarkets organic ranges, and thus far it really works out slightly more easy on the pocket.This is a company that knows how to care for its patrons and I can't commend it highly enough.

Our Diminutive Balcony Garden

This year we have the same Honeysuckle which was planted in 2006 along with the variegated Ivy both are doing very well. One tub still contains the Geraniums that Maureen planted in 2006 and in one of the large tubs is some mint. We are now growing our own salad leaves and radish and if we just had a bit more room we would be trying other things as well, but with the room we have got we are very satisfied with what we have been growing.

Japanese Honeysuckle Prolific (Lonicera Japonica Halls Prolific)

As its name suggests, this is an especially vigorous and free-flowering variety with masses of sweetly scented, tubular flowers from April to August, opening pure white and ageing to yellow. The handsome, dark green leaves are retained all year and in hot summers, the flowers may be followed by small purple-black berries. It looks lovely scrambling over an old boundary wall or growing through a robust, mature tree, or in our case up the wall and trellis work

Garden care: Cut back established plants after flowering, removing a third of the flowering shoots. Apply a generous 5-7cm (2-3in) mulch of well-rotted compost or manure around the base of the plant in early spring.

Ivy Common (Hedera Helix Oro Di Bogliasco)

A handsome ivy with lustrous, three-lobed, dark green leaves splashed with golden yellow. It is a self-clinging, evergreen climber suitable for brightening or covering a shady wall or as groundcover, although it will lose its variegation if grown in deep shade. Mature plants bear spherical green flowers in autumn.

Garden care: Keep moist during the winter months. Plants may be pruned at any time of the year to keep within bounds.

Tomato and salad Crop This Year

This year we are using for our large toms a variety called Turbo Elegance which is a grafted stock, they arrived from Dobies in April as plug plants and are doing very well.

A vigorous growing variety, producing good trusses of standard size tomatoes of fine colour and delicious flavour.

As well as Tomato Tumbler F1 Plants

This trailing British bred variety is ideal for hanging baskets and containers on the patio, producing up to 4kg (9 lb) of delicious fruit in a single season. This amazing tomato tumbler can be sown later than most and harvested before others are available. Bred for patio pots and hanging baskets, the plants cascade over the sides. We did start with three plants but I broke one planting out and a gust of wind one day sent the second plant flying onto the balcony floor we couldn’t save it so we only have the one plant up on the trellis we have had 750 grams off of it so far so not too bad really.

Our salad leaves have been marvellous we have been harvesting them on a daily basis for 7 weeks now and they include, Rocket (Arugula) mixed, mixed spicy salad leaves, salad bowl red and green mixed, and radish French breakfast 3. All these are from Mr. Fothergill’s collection and the salads are all from the collection of Mr. Fothergill’s seed mats a superb way to sow your seeds. Today we have just sown some Lambs lettuce, Mizuna, Mustard Oriental red, Lettuce Salad bowl mixed and Watercress Aqua.

The Glens Tags: Astrochef, Lancashire, Molly, Salad Leaves, Lambs Lettuce, Mizuna, Land Cress, Water Cress, Mustard, Oriental, Rocket, Arugula, Radish, Tomatoes, Elegance, Tumbling Tom

Martins Seafresh, Local Fish

Sea Fresh Fish crabs, prawns and Lobsters from Martins Seafresh, this is in my opinion the premier fresh fish shopping site for fresh fish and shellfish, including live and cooked lobsters, crabs, oysters and mussels. Their speciality is Lobsters and Crabs caught off the North Cornish coast mostly by small inshore boats. They offer overnight delivery to the mainland UK.

A little locally run business with thirty years expertise and a love of all seafood. Direct contact to the boats means that their produce is always fresh. You can take advantage of their online shop and have your assortment delivered to you the following day. Martin's Seafresh takes delight in supplying the freshest possible seafood straight from Cornwall.

Maureen and I always use Martins Seafresh; the potted shrimps are a favourite of Maureen’s. We have never been let down with the quality of the fish. We get our fish delivered once or twice a month and it is always fresh, nicely cut or filleted always delivered on time and extremely good value it beats the London fishmongers hands down.

They have recently upgraded their website and it is a real joy to enter, navigating the site is so easy and, if any of the fish is not in stock it is greyed out in the shopping pages. They included great descriptions of the fish that they sell including the many different ways in which you can cook them.
One of the best and most important areas of the website is their “How-To Guides and Recipe Pages” they are a great area to visit.

It is always pleasant to receive the newsletters from them advising us of the best times to buy the fish and seafood and what is happening with the boats and staff.

In summary both, Maureen and I believe there is no finer online supplier of fresh fish, shellfish and live lobsters and crab. You just can't go wrong with Martin's Seafresh.

Martins Seafresh
St Columb Business Centre
Barn Lane
St Columb
Cornwall
TR9 6BU

Telephone: 01637 806 103
Email: jeff.martin@martins-seafresh.co.uk
Website: http://www.martins-seafresh.co.uk/
Contact: Jeff Martin

Chicken and Asparagus with Gruyere Cheese

For this delightful dish, boneless chicken breast and asparagus are coated in a sumptuous white wine sauce with a abundant measure of melted Gruyère cheese, tarragon and lemon give a boost to a mouth-watering flavour that is just right with asparagus.

Serves / Makes: Four

Prep-Time: 5 minutes

Cook-Time: 30 minutes

The Glens Tags: Chicken Recipes, Asparagus, Gruyère, Easy

You Will Need;

• 8 ounces asparagus, trimmed and cut into 1-inch pieces
• 2/3 cup, chicken stock
• 2 teaspoons plus ¼ cup plain flour, divided
• 4 boneless, skinless chicken breasts (1-1 ¼ pounds), trimmed
• ¼ teaspoon, salt
• ½ teaspoon, freshly ground white pepper
• 1 tablespoon, olive oil
• 1 shallot, thinly sliced
• ½ cup white wine
• 1/3 cup low fat sour cream
• 1 tablespoon chopped fresh tarragon
• 2 teaspoons lemon juice
• 2/3 cup grated Gruyère cheese

Method:

1. Cook the asparagus in boiling water until just tender, remove from the heat drain, and set to one side.
2. Whisk the stock and 2 teaspoons of the flour in a small bowl until smooth, set aside.
3. Place the remaining ¼ cup of flour in a shallow dish, sprinkle the chicken with salt and pepper, and dredge both sides in the flour, shaking off any excess.
4. Heat the oil in a large frying pan over a medium heat; add the chicken and cook until golden brown, about 3 to 4 minutes each side, adjusting the heat as needed to prevent scorching.
5. Transfer to a plate and cover to keep warm.
6. Add the shallots, wine and the reserved stock mixture to the pan and cook over a medium heat, stirring, until thickened, about 2 minutes, reduce the heat to medium low; stir in the sour cream, tarragon, lemon juice and the reserved asparagus until combined.
7. Return the chicken to the pan and turn to coat with the sauce, sprinkle the cheese on top of each piece of chicken, cover, and continue cooking until the cheese is melted, about 2 minutes.

Cheese and Onion Pie

Cheese and onion are old acquaintances and were made to go together.  This tasty savoury pie is easy to make with shop bought sheets of puff pastry, and is great for lunch, or for dinner with a large tossed salad.  It is also one of our favourites

Serves:         2 to 4 

Time:             About 60 minutes if you want to make a good job of it.   

The Glens Tags: Pies, Savoury, Cheese, Lancashire

1. 2, tablespoons vegetable oil
2. 2, large onions, chopped
3. 12, ounces grated Cheshire cheese, you can use Cheddar or Lancashire
4. 1, tablespoon chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley
5. 1, teaspoon prepared English mustard
6. 2, teaspoons Worcestershire sauce
7. 2, eggs, beaten separately
8. 2 good pinches of salt and pepper
9. 2, sheets puff pastry

Method:

Line an oven tray with baking paper and set aside. Heat the vegetable oil in a large frying pan / skillet and sauté the onions over medium heat for 5- 7 minutes, or until golden and soft.
Transfer to a bowl and allow to cool for 10 minutes, before adding the cheese, parsley, mustard and Worcestershire sauce.
Mix well, then add 1 beaten egg to the bowl, with salt and pepper to your taste, and mix well again.
Using a cake pan or dinner plate as a guide, cut each sheet of pastry into a 9 inch (23 cm) circle.
Lay one sheet of pastry on the prepared baking tray.
Place a large spoonful of the cheese mixture over the pastry base, piling it higher in the middle, and leave a narrow border around the edge.
Lightly brush the border with some of the second beaten egg.
Place the remaining sheet of pastry over the filling, stretching lightly if necessary to neatly fit the bottom sheet.
Press and seal the edges well.
Brush the top with the remaining beaten egg, and cut two slits in the top to allow the steam to escape.
Bake in the oven for 10 minutes, before reducing the heat to 350F (180C).
Cook a further 20-25 minutes or until pastry is crisp and golden brown.
Note;
For my American family and friends you can purchase real British cheese at iGourmet/British Cheeses why not try them.

Molly’s Mushy Peas

Ooh, these are easily the most excellent when it comes to mushy peas for “Fish ‘n’ Chips”

The peas used should be the dried marrowfat ones, the best ones we have found in the UK are Bachelors Bigga Marrowfat Peas but really most brands will make excellent mushy peas.

They are a traditional northern English accompaniment to fish and chips and all over Northern England, they are commonly served as part of the popular snack of pie and peas (akin to the Australian pie floater, but with mushy peas instead of a thick pea soup) and are considered a part of traditional British cuisine. Mushy peas are also sometimes served in batter as a pea fritter.

Marrowfat peas can also be bought in canned, the most popular brand is “Farrow’s Giant Marrowfat Processed Peas”, these can be used as a substitute for mushy peas.

• Serves / Makes: 4

• Prep-Time: 12 hours

• Cook-Time: 2 hours

The Glens Tags: Mushy Peas, Lancashire, Traditional

You Will Need;

1. 8 ounces, dried marrowfat peas (see note)
2. 1-teaspoon bicarbonate of soda
3. 1¼ ounce, butter
4. Salt and freshly ground black pepper

Method:

• Soak the peas in a large bowl, in three times their volume of water with the bicarbonate of soda overnight at least 12 hours
• Drain the peas, rinse under the tap, and place on the stove in a large pan and cover with water, (about an inch or so above the peas). Cover and bring to the boil and once boiled, reduce the heat and simmer the peas for 1½-2 hours, stirring from time to time, part way through check the top of the cooking liquid and skim off any foam
• The peas should be soft and mushy in texture but not too dry. If they are wet, continue cooking over the heat with the lid off to dry out a little. Beat in the butter and season, season only at the end, as if you do so before that the peas will be tough.
• Add a little water to the mixture to loosen the mushy peas to the consistency you like.
• Mushy peas freeze well.

If you live in America and Canada and don't want to wait overnight or can't find dried marrowfat peas, just use drained canned marrowfat peas mashed with a knob of butter, and seasoned.

Note; Marrowfat peas are green mature peas that have been allowed to dry out naturally in the field, rather than be harvested in their prime of youth like the normal garden pea. They are used to make Mushy Peas.

Applebee's® Oriental Chicken Salad

Crisp Oriental greens topped with chunks of crunchy Chicken Fingers, toasted almonds & crispy rice noodles tossed in light Oriental vinaigrette.

Applebee's 60-item menu is revised twice a year. That means about 40 percent of the entire menu changes on a regular basis. The other 60 percent are items that are found on menus in all of the Applebee's restaurants, and seldom ever change. One item that has been on the menu for some time now is this Oriental Chicken salad, which is considered one of the restaurant's signature items. The recipe makes one dinner-size salad and can be easily doubled or quadrupled for additional servings.

Serves / Makes: 1

Prep-Time: 10 minutes

Cook-Time: 8 minutes

The Glens Tags: Copycat Recipes, Top Secret Recipes, Applebee’s, Chicken, Salad, Oriental

You Will Need;

For The Oriental Dressing

1. 3 tablespoons, honey,
2. 1 ½ tablespoons, rice wine vinegar,
3. ¼ cup, mayonnaise,
4. 1 teaspoon, grey Poupon Dijon mustard,
5. ⅛teaspoon, sesame oil,

For The Salad

1. 1, Egg
2. ½ Cup, Milk
3. ½ Cup, Flour
4. ½ Cup, Corn Flake Crumbs
5. 1 Teaspoon, Salt
6. ¼ Teaspoon, White Ground Pepper
7. 1, Boneless, Skinless Chicken Breast Half
8. 2-4 Cups, Vegetable Oil, For Frying
9. 3 Cups, Romaine Lettuce/Cos, Chopped
10. 1 Cup, Red Cabbage
11. 1 Cup, Napa Cabbage (see notes)
12. ½ Medium, Carrot, Julienned or grated
13. 1 Whole, Spring Onion / Scallion, Chopped
14. 1 Tablespoon, Sliced Almonds
15. 1/3 Cup, Crispy Noodles

Method:

• Preheat the oil in deep fryer or deep pan over a medium heat. You want the temperature of the oil to be around 350 degrees.
• Blend all ingredients for the dressing in a small bowl with an electric mixer. Put the dressing in refrigerator to chill while you prepare the salad.
• In a small, shallow bowl beat the egg, add the milk, and mix well, in another bowl, combine flour with corn flake crumbs, salt, and pepper.
• Cut the chicken breast into 4 or 5 long strips; Dip each strip of the chicken first into the egg mixture then into the flour mixture, coating each piece completely.
• Fry each chicken finger for 5 minutes or until coating has turned a golden brown.
• Prepare salad by tossing the chopped romaine/cos with the chopped red cabbage, Napa cabbage, and carrots, Sprinkle sliced green onion on top of the lettuce, Sprinkle almonds over the salad, then the crispy noodles.
• Cut the chicken into small bite-size chunks, Place the chicken onto the salad forming a pile in the middle, Serve with salad dressing on the side.

Notes; Napa cabbage (Brassica Rapa pekinensis) is a member of the cabbage family that originated in China several millennia ago. It is also known by the names Chinese cabbage, celery cabbage, and Peking cabbage.

Napa cabbage grows in a compact, elongated head; the crinkled oblong leaves are wrapped tightly in an upright cylinder. The leaves of this cabbage are light green, and the stalk area below the leaves is lighter still, a pale green approaching white.

The flavour of Napa cabbage is somewhat milder and a bit sweeter than that of regular green cabbage. It is delicious raw or cooked, and can be substituted for regular cabbage in most recipes.

Napa cabbage has been grown in China since around the fifteenth century. It is an extremely popular vegetable in China today, partly due to its versatility. In Korea, which has also been cultivating Napa cabbage for centuries, it is pickled, salted, and flavoured with ginger and chilli peppers to make Kim chi, the national dish of Korea. Napa cabbage was introduced to North America from China toward the latter part of the nineteenth century. Today, it is cultivated in countries all over the world.

Chantenay Carrots Glazed With Butter

A bright and scrumptious way to dish up carrots shimmering in butter and dazzling green parsley, a Chantenay carrot (see notes) is a small, sweet variety of carrot with a crisp, orange flesh and a sweet texture.

Serves / Makes: 6

Prep-Time: 5 minutes

Cook-Time: 12 minutes

The Glens Tags: Vegetables, Carrots, Chantenay

You Will Need;

1. 2 pounds, Chantenay Carrots, Peeled or scraped. You can use baby carrots if you can’t get Chantenay
2. 3 tablespoons, Butter
3. 2 tablespoons, freshly chopped Parsley, or you can use mint, lemon balm, or lemon thyme, freshly chopped
4. 1 pinch, Sea Salt
5. Freshly Ground Black pepper, To Taste

Method:

1. Place the carrots in a heavy saucepan and barely cover with water.
2. Add the butter and cover, bring to a boil, lower the heat, and cook for 12 minutes or until the carrots are still firm but easy to pierce with a fork.
3. Remove the cover and reduce down until the liquid has evaporated and the carrots are coated with butter. Watch them carefully or they will burn.
4. Add the chopped herbs and season with salt and pepper.

Notes;

As the name suggests, the Chantenay carrot originated from the Chantenay region of France. Early references to the Chantenay carrot can be found back in the mid 1800's where it was used in medicine.

As food, production became more organised after the war there was a rise in the popularity of Chantenay carrots. This peaked in the 60's but the Chantenay fell out of favour as the market place developed and food production became increasingly mechanised.

Production of Chantenay for the fresh market almost ceased in the 1970's although Chantenay remained a favourite with the canned carrot market due to their sweetness and size.

Chantenay carrots have recently been revived in the UK, having not been available in this country since the 1960s. They are crisp, sweet and have a pronounced 'carroty' flavour.

The Chantenay carrot is a natural product that can be tricky to grow but it is its very ‘naturalness’, which gives it its flavour and results in carrots that taste 'as carrots used to taste'. Chantenay carrots are perfect for everyone, no need to peel, quick and easy to cook and they taste delicious, perfect straight from the fridge for an easy snack with hummus,

Cath’s Rich Chocolate Sponge

This is my sister’s favourite dessert based on a pudding that was serve up at school usually served with a peppermint sauce, I have altered it somewhat to create this particular version

Serves / Makes: 4

The Glens Tags: Desserts, Puddings, Sweets Chocolate

Prep-Time: 10 minutes

Cook-Time: 45 minutes

Tags: Desserts, Puddings, Sweets Chocolate,

You Will Need;

• 4 ounces, 70 per cent plain bitter chocolate
• 5 fresh eggs, separated
• 2 Egg Yolks
• 4 ounces, vanilla sugar
• 4 ounces, ground hazelnuts
• 2 ounces, breadcrumbs
• Unsalted butter
• Sugar for dusting

Method:

1. Melt the chocolate in a double boiler or briefly in a microwave.
2. Beat in all the egg yolks, and half the vanilla sugar until foamy. Beat the egg whites with the remaining sugar (as for meringue).
3. Blend a ¼ of this egg white mixture into the egg yolk mixture, and then carefully fold in the rest of the egg white mixture, together with the nuts and breadcrumbs, mix in the chocolate.
4. Grease the moulds with the butter, then dust with sugar. Fill the mould and place into a water bath, bake for 35-40 minutes in a moderate oven 325-350F.

Cajun Spice Mix

We love Cajun food and try to make it as authentic as we can.

A Cajun seasoning mix is used in many Cajun recipes. It is basically salt with a variety of spices. There are many commercial seasoning mixes on the market some of our favourites are from the kitchens of Paul Prudhomme but they can be difficult to find in the UK. Another excellent seasoning mix is Zatarain's Seasoning again difficult to obtain here in the UK.

However, here is a seasoning mix recipe that we use it is a good all-rounder, you can use it for barbecue ribs, chicken, blackened fish, Cajun soups or sauces, blackened steaks, and blackened pastas. I would suggest that you experiment with every batch until you have the spice combination that you yourself like.

Prep-Time: Are you in a hurry? Good food takes time to prepare

Cook-Time: No cooking

LiveJournal Tags: Cajun,Spices,Spice Blends

You Will Need;

1. 700 grams Sea Salt
2. 5 tablespoons, Cayenne Pepper
3. 3 tablespoons, Black pepper
4. 3 tablespoons, Chilli Powder
5. 1 tablespoon, Paprika (we like to use a sweet Hungarian paprika)
6. 3 tablespoons, Onion Powder
7. 3 tablespoons, Garlic Powder
8. 1 tablespoon, Thyme
9. 1 tablespoon, Basil
10. 1 tablespoon, Bay leaf (ground)
11. 1 tablespoon, Cumin
12. 1 tablespoon, Oregano

Method:

• Add all the seasoning, except salt, in a blender.
• Cover and blend to a fine consistency.
• Don't breathe the dust, unless like Molly you want to enter into a sneezing frenzy!
• Mix the blended spices with the salt until you achieve a uniform colour.
• Use as you would salt. Place the spice mix in a glass jar and seal tightly. Store in a cool, dark place up to 3 months.

The Superlative Cajun Shrimp

LiveJournal Tags: Cajun,Shrimp,Tasty

We fell in love with Cajun Cuisine in 1990 and we were so lucky that in 1991 in Palm Springs Chef Paul Prudhomme came for a visit and let us into a few of his tips and tricks. This is an effortless yet lovely appetizer for everyday celebrations we always served this in a nice glass bowl served on a bed of crushed ice just before dinner along with drinks something like canapés

Serves: 12 for a dinner party

Time: from start to finish including marinating time 4hours 10 minutes

You Will Need

• ½ a lemon
• 1/3 cup of water
• 1 small onion, chopped (1/3 cup)
• 2 tablespoons lemon juice
• 1 tablespoon cooking oil
• 2 cloves garlic, minced
• 1 tablespoon Cajun seasoning
• ¼ teaspoon salt
• 1 ½ pounds fresh or frozen peeled medium shrimp (about 2 pounds in the shell)
• ½ cup chopped green or red sweet pepper
• Lettuce leaves

Method:

1. Combine the lemon peel, water, onion, lemon juice, cooking oil, garlic, Cajun seasoning, and salt in a large frying pan/skillet; heat to boiling.
2. Add the shrimp stirring to coat, return to boiling, reduce the heat and simmer, covered, for about 4 minutes or until the shrimp are opaque, stirring twice.
3. Stir in the green or red pepper, transfer the mixture to a glass bowl, cover, and marinate in the refrigerator for 4 hours, stirring the mixture occasionally.
4. At serving time, drain the mixture well.
5. Serve in a bowl lined with lettuce and make sure you have plenty of serving picks.

Baked Potato Skins

Crisp, tasty, and plentiful, these nibbles are often called for by everyone, there are plenty of different recipes and fillings you can use, but this was always very popular as nibbles before a dinner party at Norwood West.

Serves / Makes: 4

Prep-Time: 5 minutes

Cook-Time: 10 minutes

LiveJournal Tags: Potatoes,Baked,Cheese,Quick,Easy,Favourite Recipes

You Will Need;

1. 4 large baking potatoes, baked
2. 3 tablespoons vegetable oil
3. 1 tablespoon grated Parmesan cheese
4. ½-teaspoon salt
5. ¼-teaspoon garlic powder
6. ¼-teaspoon paprika
7. ⅛-teaspoon pepper
8. Eight bacon rashers/strips, cooked crisp and crumbled
9. 1½ cups grated Cheddar cheese
10. 4 spring onions, sliced
11. ½-cup sour cream

Method:

Cut the potatoes in half lengthwise; scoop out pulp, leaving a ¼-inch shell (save pulp for another use). Place potatoes skins on a greased baking sheet. Combine the oil, Parmesan cheese, salt, garlic powder, paprika, and pepper; brush over both sides of skins.

Bake at 475 degrees f / 240 degrees C for 7 minutes; turn, bake until crisp, about 7 minutes more. Sprinkle the bacon and cheddar cheese inside the skins and bake 2 minutes longer or until the cheese is melted. Top with sour cream and onions. Serve immediately.

Bacon and Leek Quiche

In France, this dish is known as Quiche aux Poireaux avec Lardons, The leeks and bacon filling of this quiche produces a flavoursome country style dish. Together with a green salad, it makes for a very agreeable light lunch or dinner. This was very popular with the guests at The Great Tree Hotel especially as a light lunch or supper dish.

Serves / Makes: 6

Prep-Time: 10 minutes

Cook-Time: 30 min

You Will Need;

1. One Recipe of Short Crust Pastry (Pâte Brisée)
2. ½ pound bacon, cut into 1 cm (about ½-inch) cubes
3. 2 leeks, white and light green parts, chopped (about 2 cups)
4. 3 shallots thinly sliced
5. ¼-teaspoon salt
6. 1/8-teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
7. 1-tablespoon Dijon mustard
8. 3 eggs
9. 1-cup milk
10. ½-cup single cream
11. ¼ pound Gruyere cheese, grated (about 1 1/3-cups)
12. 1 Pinch of Nutmeg

Method:

• Cook the bacon in a frying pan / skillet over a low heat until just cooked, not crisp. Add the shallots, leeks, salt and freshly ground black pepper and sauté until the leeks and shallots are soft and the bacon is crisp, about 7 to 10 minutes.
• Drain off the surplus fat, if any. Set aside.
• Preheat the oven to 375 degrees F and arrange the oven rack in the middle of the oven. Then on a liberally floured surface, roll the pastry from the centre out, lifting pastry, turning it slightly, and intermittently turning over to prevent it from sticking. Roll the pastry to 1/8-inch thickness. Lightly butter and flour a 9-inch pie dish and line with the pastry, leaving about ¼-inch overhang for shrinkage. Pinch up the surplus pastry to form an edge and flute, prick the bottom all over with a fork.
• Line the pastry case with a sheet of parchment or aluminium foil larger than the dish, and fill with pie beans (the ceramic ones are ideal for this). Bake for about 20 minutes, or until the edges begin to colour. Remove the paper and beans, and spread the mustard over the bottom of the pastry.
• Lower the oven temperature to 325 degrees F.
• In a bowl, beat the eggs lightly with the milk and cream, add a pinch of freshly ground nutmeg and then mix in the bacon and cheese mixture, pour the custard into the pie shell to within ¼-inch off the top of the crust.
• Bake 25 to 30 minutes, or until the custard is just cooked.
• Allow to cool 10 minutes before serving.
• Serve warm or room temperature.

Serving Suggestions

My favourite is, to serve the quiche with steamed new baby potatoes tossed in butter, freshly chopped mint, and parsley and with baby lettuce leaves, cucumber, spring onions finely chopped, sweet cherry tomatoes together with a little chopped red pepper. On the other hand, you could try jacket potatoes with melted butter.

Leek is a vegetable related to the onion and garlic. Its edible portions are the white onion base and the green stalks. The white onion-like layers form around a core. I prefer to use young leeks. Otherwise discard the outer leaves; you can use them for soups.

LiveJournal Tags: Appetizers,Great Tree,Light Lunches,Favourite Recipes,Pies,Tarts,Quiche,Pastries

Baby Cos and Beetroot Salad with Soft Boiled Egg

A light tasty start to any meal a modern variation on Egg Mayonnaise

Serves / Makes: 4

Prep-Time:

Cook-Time: 15 minutes

You Will Need;

4 Medium, Free Range Eggs

½ Cup, Mayonnaise,

2 Teaspoons, Dijon Mustard,

2 whole, Baby Cos (Romaine) Lettuce, The leaves washed and sorted. Iced/Little Gem lettuce is ok to use.

4 Whole, Baby Beetroot (Beets), Cut into 2cm chunks

2 Tablespoons, Snipped Chives,

Crusty Bread to Serve,

Method:

Place the eggs in a saucepan of cold water over a high heat, bring to the boil, and then reduce the heat to low and simmer for 3½ minutes.

Remove the eggs and cool slightly, peel carefully, then set to one side.

Place the mayonnaise and Dijon mustard in a bowl, then add 1/3 cup (80ml) of boiling water. Whisk to make a loose dressing, adding a little more water, if needed.

Divide the cos lettuce between 4 serving bowls and top with the cooked beetroot, carefully halve the soft-boiled eggs and position them on top of the beetroot, drizzle with the mustard dressing, season with some freshly ground black pepper and garnish with the chopped chives, serve with crusty bread.

LiveJournal Tags: Salads,Starters,Beetroot,Eggs

Avocado Mousse with Shrimp/Prawns

This promptly became a firm favourite with guests at Norwood West even though Lord Hanson wasn’t fond of it he would sometimes have the mousse if it was served with lobster instead of shrimp/prawns.

Serves / Makes: 8

Prep-Time: 12 minutes

Cook-Time: 20 minutes plus chilling time

You Will Need;

• 2 avocados, ripe
• 5 fluid ounces hot stock
• 1/2 ounce gelatine powder
• 1/2 lemon, juice only
• 1 clove garlic, finely chopped
• 5 fluid ounces Greek yoghurt
• 5 fluid ounces mayonnaise
• 1 lb large shrimp, in shell
• Walnut salad dressing
• Salt and freshly ground black pepper

Method:

Peel the shrimp and place the shells into 10 fluid ounces of water and boil for 20 minutes, strain then reduce the liquid to 5 fluid ounces this is the Hot Stock.

Lightly oil 8 small ramekins.

Put 3 tablespoons of the stock and the gelatine into a bowl and stand it in a pan of simmering water, stir until the gelatine has dissolved, then pour it into the bowl of a food processor or blender with the rest of the stock.

Peel and stone the avocados and roughly chop the flesh, add to stock in the processor along with the lemon juice and garlic, blend until smooth.

Put the mixture into a bowl and stir in the yoghurt and mayonnaise, mix thoroughly and season to taste. Spoon the mixture into the oiled ramekins, cover with cling film and chill until set.

When you are ready to serve, slide a palette knife around the edge of each ramekin and ease the mousse away from the sides. Turn the mousses out onto serving plates and top each one with some of the shelled shrimp and drizzle some of the walnut dressing over each mousse.

Serve with crusty bread and a few salad leaves.

LiveJournal Tags: Appetizers,Canapés,Starters,Shellfish